October 2010 Paranormal Underground

October 2010 Paranormal Underground

You can purchase paper copies of Paranormal Underground magazine via a Publish-on-Demand option by visiting http://paranormalunderground.magcloud.com/. At Paranormal Underground, our mission is to publish the highest-quality magazine for our readers. We strive to keep you updated on news from the paranormal world, as well as tackle the topics that most interest paranormal enthusiasts, researchers, and investigators. We hope you’ll find our publication entertaining and informative. To visit our Websites, go to www.paranormalunderground.net and www.ghostknightmedia.com.

Paranormal Underground
Volume 3, Issue 10 October 2010
�
Dave Considine
Confessions of a Demon Hunter
The Jaboticabal Poltergeist
High Strangeness at the
Skinwalker Ranch
The Needles, CA UFO Crash of 2008
Demons or Spirit Entities?
Also Inside:
� Wisconsin Illinois Paranormal Solutions � TV Watch: Beast Legends � Author Spotlight: Dr. Bob Curran -- Zombies October 2010 � Do Winged Cats Exist? Paranormal Underground 1 � Case Files: A Skeptic's First Investigation � Equipment Update: The SpecterCam
Black-Eyed Kids
My name is Thomas "Mr.T" Perryman I am an Ex-Law Enforcement Officer and Private Investigator that will now concentrate on my examinations of the Paranormal and Crypto Zoology Mysteries.
Through my vast experience and resources I am performing field investigations on these subjects to provide a different approach than others. I have great stories from Past Cases and Current Cases to share. My discussions are Entertaining as well as informative. I have written many Books, appeared in Horror films, and host a Radio Show. I am available for Convention Bookings and Appearances. If you have any questions please contact me personally. I look forward to your next Event and we are all on the Quest to find the Answers!
Paranormal Underground October 2010
Phone (407) 416-4807
2
E-Mail flmvp@hotmail.com
Inside This Issue
FEATURES
INVESTIGATOR SPOTLIGHTS
Dave Considine: Confessions of a Demon Hunter Relatively Haunted: Wisconsin Illinois Paranormal Solutions 12 16
ISSUE SNAPSHOT
AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT
Dr. Bob Curran: Zombies: A Field Guide to the Walking Dead 20
SPECIAL REPORT
The New (Black-Eyed) Kids on the Block: A Working Profile of the BEK Phenomenon 24
CASE FILES OF THE UNKNOWN
Haunted Sites
High Strangeness at The Skinwalker Ranch 28 38 40 42
Haunted History
The Jaboticabal Poltergeist
Cryptids & Mythological Creatures
Do Winged Cats Exist? Mutants, Cryptids, Hoaxes, or Real?
DEPARTMENTS
Contributors Ghost Hunter Comic Publisher's Letter Calendar of Events TV Watch:
Beast Legends
Are We Alone?
The Needles, California, UFO Crash of 2008
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
Ghost Hunter Case Files: A Skeptic's First Investigation Cartooning the Paranormal 44 48
4 5 6 8 10 47 58
3
Reader Profile:
Vince Conforti (Vcon)
Fiction: Featured Author
"The Volunteer" by Sandi Kennedy 52
October 2010
Equipment Update:
SpecterCam Review
Paranormal Underground
Contributors
Heidi Ann
Heidi Ann has been a paranormal enthusiast since childhood when she had her own encounter. Her personal experience led her to question the world around her. Heidi is a mother of three sons, works as a special education paraprofessional in a middle school, and loves watching television shows and reading books on the paranormal. experiences in her life that she's not been able to explain or debunk. After becoming more interested in the paranormal through television shows, her skepticism grew. And after joining www.paranormalunderground.net and meeting fellow paranormal enthusiasts, Jenny investigated a reportedly haunted location. However, after investigating herself, Jenny said she learned just how easy it is to manufacture paranormal evidence or misconstrue experiences as being paranormal. A paranormal researcher since the age of eight, Rick is happily married and digs Jazz. He believes in the use of the scientific method in gathering evidence of paranormal claims. The first installment of Rick's book series, The Geek's Guide to the Strange and Unusual, will be released soon by Ghost Knight Media. Rick can be contacted at t_seeker@hotmail.com.
Sandi Kennedy
Sandi was born and raised in Camden, New Jersey, and currently still resides in South Jersey with her husband and two sons. According to Sandi, Paranormal Underground magazine has opened up a world of writing in her that she never knew existed. She has been writing ever since she came upon the Paranormal Underground Website in summer 2008, and someday she hopes to publish a book of short horror stories and poems. She is a true believer in the paranormal, having witnessed ghosts on several occasions throughout her life.
Shaun Belekurov
Shaun has spent 18 years in the field investigating paranormal phenomena. This has taken him everywhere from investigating Chupacabra sightings outside Tijuana, Mexico; Bigfoot hunting in Washington State; and most recently trailing the "Hellhound of the Ozarks" in his own backyard. His lifelong pursuit of all things strange has led him to recently publish 2012: The Paranormal Cookbook (Convergence of Reality and the Supernatural). Shaun founded S.P.O.O.K.S. (a paranormal field investigative unit based out of Springfield, Missouri.). He enjoys riding his Harley and doing field work. His Website is www.spooksfield.com.
Karen Frazier
Karen is the managing editor of Paranormal Underground magazine. After living in a WWII-era apartment 20 years ago where unexplainable things happened, Karen began to search for answers about the paranormal. Now she combines that interest with her professional experience as a copy writer and technical writer to help bring Paranormal Underground to the public. Karen is a partner with Ghost Knight Media.
Cheryl Knight
Cheryl is editorin-chief of Paranormal Underground magazine, director of Publications & Editing Services for Ghost Knight Media, and producer of Paranormal Underground Radio. She has been a professional writer and editor for more than 20 years, and has published hundreds of articles on topics ranging from advanced technology to automotive fleet management to paranormal investigation. Cheryl is combining her writing, editing, and design talents -- along with a fascination of the paranormal -- to bring you Paranormal Underground each month. Her previous magazine experience includes roles as senior and managing editor for several business publications.
Terri J. Garofalo
Terri is a paranormal investigator, as well as the artist and writer behind Entities-R-Us, Ghost Hunter Comic. She's a freelance artist, illustrator, and designer in Hyde Park, New York. You can find her work on www.entities-r-us.com, or contact Terri at terri@entities-r-us.com.
Paul Bottini
Paul has written several eBooks about haunted sites, UFO sightings, and cryptid lore. When not writing, Paul travels the countryside in search of UFOs, hotspots of high strangeness, ethereal beasts, and anything remotely paranormal. Paul also designs Web graphics and animations. You can visit his Website at http://zzyzxparanormal.com.
Rick E. Hale
A native of Chicago, Rick investigates with the McHenry County Paranormal Research Group. He writes a biweekly blog for www.paranormalunderground.net about his frequent investigations.
Jenny Brown
Jenny lives in a small town about 60 miles north of Seattle. She's always been fascinated with the unknown and paranormal activity. She has had a few
Michelle M. Pillow
Michelle is an award-winning author
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Ghost Hunter Comic
writing in many romance fiction genres, including futuristic and paranormal. A skeptical believer, she has a fascination with anything paranormal. She's also a photographer and cohost of Raven Radio. Readers and listeners can contact Michelle at www.michellepillow.com. You can catch her latest three book series, Realm Immortal (King of the Unblessed; Faery Queen; and Stone Queen) in bookstores now.
also believes that a human, compassionate mentality is required when dealing with clients living with anomalous activity. He is also the host of Redshift Radio, Paranormal Tech Talk at http://okcgc.net
Jill Stefko, Ph.D.
Jill has studied the paranormal since 1957, including parapsychology, cryptozoology, Fortean phenomena, anomalies, UFOs, aliens, demonic possession, and exorcism. She hosts workshops and lectures and has been a guest on radio talk shows and local TV. Jill investigates alleged cases of the paranormal and counsels experients. She is the Feature Writer in the paranormal topic for www.suite101.com. Jill is the director and founder of FIRE-Psi, which was established in 1996.
nightmedia.com). He has parlayed his avid interest in the paranormal into a top-notch publication and Website -- www.ParanormalUnderground.net. Chad has investigated with East Tennessee Paranormal Research Society and counts Waverly Hills, the Villisca Axe Murder House, the Queen Anne Hotel, the Queen Mary, and private residences among his investigations.
Andrew Selfridge
Andy is an investigator with the Oklahoma City Ghost Club. A police officer by trade, he brings more than seven years of law enforcement experience and critical thinking to his investigative approach, with a strong emphasis on the purity of data collection and preservation of evidence. Andy says that a critical approach to paranormal phenomena is essential, but
Rusty Leeann Woehrle
Rusty is 38 years old and lives in Wisconsin. Her first paranormal experience was about 15 years ago when she saw the ghost of a family friend walk through the house. After this encounter, Rusty didn't have any paranormal experiences for quite awhile . . . until her cousin gave her some old family photos. After that the experiences increased. You can read Rusty's blog at http:// centralwisconsinghostsblog.blogspot.com.
Chad Wilson
A writer of articles and fiction, Chad is the publisher of Paranormal Underground magazine and a partner for Ghost Knight Media (www.ghostk-
October 2010
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Publisher's Letter
Paranormal Underground�
Volume 3, Issue 10 October 2010
www.ParanormalUnderground.net
EDITORIAL
Publisher
Publisher@paranormalunderground.net
TV's Influence on the Paranormal
Chad Wilson
Editor-in-Chief
Editor@paranormalunderground.net
W
Cheryl Knight
Managing Editor
KarenFrazier@paranormalunderground.net
Karen Frazier
Science Editor
J.D. Harrison
Proofreader
Heidi Ann
Contributors
Heidi Ann Shaun Belekurov Paul Bottini Jenny Brown Terri J. Garofalo Rick E. Hale Sandi Kennedy Michelle M. Pillow Andrew Selfridge Jill Stefko, Ph.D. Chad Wilson Rusty Leeann Woehrle
Copyright � 2008-2010 -- Paranormal Underground� is a registered trademark. All rights reserved. As such, Paranormal Underground and its contents are the property of its owners. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. This publication and all content within this publication may not be copied, quoted, distributed, modified, or reprinted without the express written consent of Paranormal Underground magazine. Paranormal Underground magazine is a publication of Ghost Knight Media, LLC.
ith the recent spate ing in the dark." of paranormal reality I'm even guilty of the aforemenshows flooding the TV tioned, having thought that conductmarket, we are currently in a state of ing a paranormal investigation in the paranormal overload. Shows include dark was proper protocol. However, Most Haunted (2002), Ghost HuntI quickly learned after joining an ers (2004), Paranormal State (2007), investigative team that the supposed Ghost Adventures (2008), and tried and true methods on TV are American Paranormal (2010). not always true after all. But just how helpful are these One show that does come close shows in furthering the to being scientific in its paranormal field? Are they investigative methods is purely "entertainment only," the National Geographic or do they have more to ofChannel program Amerifer paranormal investigation can Paranormal. Take and the scientific field? the team's investigation of My personal opinion Eastern State Penitentiary is that most, not all, of the where they used infracurrent TV programs on sound to ask the question: the air today are for enterDoes super low frequency Chad Wilson, tainment purposes only. As sound waves make us feel Publisher a result of a complete lack like we are experiencing of scientific methodology employed supernatural events since infrasound, during "TV" investigations, these which can't be consciously perceived, shows aren't able to capture and reportedly causes feelings of fear and work toward validating paranormal apprehension in individuals. activity and what is causing it. This is the type of investigative What they can do -- and have protocol that we need in the field. done -- is put this field at the foreUltimately, I recommend that front of society. There has been a you don't look for your paranormal big shift in perception of "the parainvestigative education purely from a normal" in the past 10 years alone. TV show. When forming your invesIt's no longer considered taboo to tigation methodologies and protocols, talk about being psychic, admitting read books, study scientific methodto have seen a ghost or UFO, or ology, study with a local paranormal revealing a run-in with Bigfoot while group, and/or take classes on how to on a hike in the mountains. use research equipment. On the flip side, first-time inMost importantly, it's sometimes vestigators watching these shows are important to forge your own path. learning "ghost hunting" techniques Look for new ways of doing things that are sometimes less than desirwhen required. In this field, we have able, such as the dreaded "investigata lot of discovering left to do.
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Paranormal Underground�
Volume 3, Issue 10 October 2010
www.ParanormalUnderground.net
ART
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Chad Wilson
Design and Layout
Cheryl Knight
On the Cover
Dave Considine www.avalancheofspirits.com
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October 2010
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Calendar of Events
October 16
Beyond Reality Lecture Series Saban Theatre Beverly Hills, California http://beyondrealityevents.com
October 16
Parafest 2010 The Ambassador Rooms Worksop Masonic Hall Worksop, Nottinghamshire, UK www.parafest.info
October 16
Northern New York Paranormal Expo Old Air Force Base Gym Plattsburgh, New York http://nnyprs.com/expo.htm
www.avalancheofspirits.com
October 22�24
Necronomicon: Science, Fantasy, and Horror Convention Hilton Bayfront St. Petersburg, Florida www.stonehill.org/necro.htm
Hudson Valley, New York www.carnivaloffright.net
Lexington, Kentucky www.thescarefest.com
October 29�31
October 23
Florida Ghost Chasers Paracon 2010 Historic Days Inn St. Augustine, Florida http://floridaghostchasers.0catch. com/paracon.html
Haunted Horrors Paranormal and Film Convention The Marriott MeadowView Conference Resort & Convention Center in Kingsport, Tennessee www.thehauntedhorrors.com
November 5�7
Haunted Ramblewood Paranormal Fall Fest Camp Ramblewood Darlington, Maryland www.hauntedramblewoodhouse. com/fallfest2010.html
October 30
October 23
Fort Mifflin Haunt Fest Fort Mifflin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania www.sjpr.org
Southern Oklahoma PARACON Medicine Park Music Hall Medicine Park, Oklahoma http://nats.truthok.com
November 5�8
October 29�31
Beyond Reality Events Presents Ghost of the Stanley Hotel Estes Park, Colorado http://beyondrealityevents.com/stanley2/
October 29�30
Port Gamble Ghost Conference The Pavilion, Port Gamble, Wash. www.portgamble.com/default. asp?ID=126
Carnival of Fright Halloween Event & Convention Hudson Valley Resort & Spa Hudson Valley, New York http://www.carnivaloffright.net/ Dates-where.html
November 12�14
Wisconsin Paranormal Conference Oshkosh Convention Center Oshkosh, Wisconsin www.wiscparacon.com
October 29�31
November 5�7
November 13
Carnival of Fright Hudson Valley Resort & Spa
ScareFest Horror & Paranormal Convention Lexington Center
Nightwatchers Queen Mary Event The Queen Mary Long Beach, California http://nightwatchersevents.com
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October 2010
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TV Watch
"Beast Legends" investigates and creates incredible creatures
By Heidi Ann
F
rom the TV channel that brought us the hit show Destination Truth comes a new program that investigates cryptozoological myths and legends -- Beast Legends. While Josh Gates and crew hunt elusive beasts on the Syfy Channel's Destination Truth, the Beast Legends team sets out to recreate them. Beast Legends has a diverse group of investigators, including a Harvard professor, veterinary surgeon, anthropologist/archeologist, and even a comic book artist. Lets Meet the Beast Legends Team British veterinarian and TV personality Steve Leonard is a world-traveling adventurer who enjoys everything from sky diving to scuba diving, as well as trekking and mountain climbing. Prior to joining Beast Legends, Leonard was in several wildlife series, including Steve Leonard's Ultimate Killers, Journey of Life, and Orangutan Diaries. Toronto's York University Professor Kathryn Denning brings her abilities as an anthropologist and archaeologist to the team. Denning is an expert in the myths and history behind "beasts" and their legends. Scott Edwards operates as the team's expert on the connection between prehistoric animals and their modern relatives. A Harvard profes-
In a recent episode of Beast Legends, the team ventures into Poland's primeval forests in search of the truth behind ancient legends of a firebreathing dragon. Pictured to the left are Beast Legends teammates Francis Manapul and Steve Leonard.
sor of organismic and evolutionary biology, Edwards is also a Curator of Ornithology for Harvard's Museum of Comparative Zoology. The most unexpected member of the team is Canadian comic book artist Francis Manapul, whose artistic talents help bring the descriptions of the beasts to life through his drawings and sketches.
Beast Legends Investigates Incredible Creatures A recent episode of Beast Legends had the team on the hunt for the mysterious Gryphon. Half lion, half eagle, all myth . . . or is it? Steve and Francis began their hunt in Germany, while the rest of the team was at the Beast Lab with Mike Paixao, working on a computer-generated likeness of a real Gryphon. Steve and Francis start their
hunt deep underground within caves found in Germany. They are seeking the bones of a long-ago extinct feline known as a Cave Lion. After finding many bones belonging to bears, the team eventually comes across a bone belonging to a Cave Lion. Using bone measurements, Francis quickly sketches the lion, showing its estimated size. And upon returning to the Beast Lab, he uses his sketch to draw a life-size Cave Lion . . . a cat that was much larger then a human being. While Francis and the rest of the team work on the "lion" part of a Gryphon, Steve jets off to Mongolia to find info on the "eagle" part. Will the team be able to recreate a Gryphon? Watch Beast Legends and find out. Check your local listings for air dates and times.
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Investigator Spotlight
Dave Considine:
Confessions of a Demon Hunter
By Rick E. Hale, McHenry County Paranormal Research Group
W
hen you think of demons -- you know, the wicked minions of the Prince of Darkness -- perhaps you're like most people and two very distinct images come into your mind. Maybe you think of demons as these little cherubic dudes sporting red-footed jammies dancing around a putrid lake of lava and fire, jabbing sinners in their butts with pitchforks. Or perhaps memories of a pre-teen girl lying strapped to a bed, her head spinning around like a top all the while pea green soup spews from her mouth like Old Faithful. Trust me; nobody would blame you if you held to these rather inaccurate images of beings who want nothing more than to invade your home and life in an effort to tear your soul to shreds. Not so cartoony after all are they? For millennia, mankind has struggled against some unknown force -- some nebulous power that seeks to commit great acts of evil, oftentimes to the detriment of us mere mortals. Is this force, this wicked power, truly the work of Satan and his demons? When humans commit terrible violent acts, can they really proclaim, "Hey, the devil made me do it"? Many in the paranormal community would answer an enthusiastic yes, and paranormal researcher and demonologist Dave Considine is
Demonologist Dave Considine dedicated his life to investigating the paranormal after having a terrifying supernatural experience during his youth.
Dave: I think most people are curious about the subject because they are trying to overcome some personal fear of the unknown, kind of a lighter version of "Stockholm Syndrome," whereas these individuals try to rationalize what is around them by bonding with it in some personal way. And it's not that the media doesn't edge this along, especially if it catches on and makes for a good TV reality show, magazine article, news story, or book. I believe there is a true danger in treading the uncharted territory, and what I mean is that the individual may forgo any feelings of danger because of their lack of knowledge -- which brings up an old quote we often use: "Only fools go where angels fear to tread." Sometimes a person may think he or she is heading in the right direction, but if we have no knowledge of where we are, then we know not where we are going, and that can make for a dangerous situation indeed. Q: Can you explain to us how demonology differs from run of the mill paranormal research? Dave: This is a very interesting question, and I think the best way to answer it would to be for me to explain how we at Phantasm Psychic Research handle a case. There are really three levels any given case can take. First, if the case seems to be
one of those investigators who firmly maintains the belief that something wicked this way comes. ***** Q: Demons seem to be making a huge comeback these days with films like Paranormal Activity and The Last Exorcism. What do you attribute this fascination to? And is it dangerous?
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legitimate, at least through multiple phone interviews, we'll make arrangements with the individual or family to come in and investigate the case. This would include further interviews, a full spiritual discernment of the individuals and property, equipment setup and monitoring, including infrared cameras, thermal imaging, etc. This is what we would classify as "paranormal research." The second level would be "religious demonology," and at this point we will usually end the paranormal research stage when and if there was something found of a spiritual nature. The third level would be that the situation needs to be dealt with by clergy; it is at this stage that the case is in the church's hands, and we become only a guide and counsel in regards to our findings. Please keep in mind that a true religious demonologist has to study for years and has to have been trained directly by another religious demonologist. I was trained by Ed Warren and Fr. Rama Coomaraswamy, M.D, among others. Also, a religious demonologist has to be given his title under the authority of a Catholic bishop in standing, including letters of recommendation from the bishop. I operate under the authority of five different Catholic bishops in five different countries (United States, Canada, Mexico, Poland, and Australia) with exceptional authority to work anywhere in the world. Q: On a popular ghost hunting program you hear the word "demon" used quite a bit. Are these investigators truly dealing with something demonic? Or could they just be dealing with an overly aggressive human spirit? Dave: There are aggressive human spirits for sure, and sometimes they can get quite violent indeed, but it would be hard to say what these indi-
Pictured above: Dave Considine sits near a ritual occult artifact. He advocates that paranormal researchers rely on interviews, solid evidence, proper spiritual discernment, and professional medical/psychological evaluations.
viduals are dealing with on some of these programs because unless there is a proper spiritual discernment done by a person truly graced with the gift of charisma for discernment, it cannot be properly identified as human or inhuman. I have to say that I have seen some examples of possible demonic type activity involving some of these paranormal shows. For instance, one particular show used provocation on one of their episodes where it was well known that rituals were performed there years earlier by a satanic cult at this site. Twenty minutes or so into the episode two of the production crew, an audio tech and a gaffer, including one of the investigating team, became violently ill and were slashed by unseen claws. I think it was apparent that they were honestly frightened at what they were experiencing. Also, it is not to say that after their show goes off the air and their
popularity declines that they might be visited by this demon or demons. Remember, time is not relevant to the spirit world. I think most of these individuals do not realize the danger in what they might be dealing with even if it is only a human spirit. Q: How do you make the determination if a person is truly plagued by preternatural forces or just dealing with the demons of the mind? Dave: When dealing with any given case, it is important to get the proper information, and on top of that we count on interviews, solid evidence, proper spiritual discernment, and professional medical/psychological evaluations. Q: I have read that there is a progression of events or stages that lead to a full-blown possession, which then requires an exorcism. What those stages are?
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Investigator Spotlight
Dave: The first stage would be "obsession." In this stage, the spirit entices its victim through whatever vehicle the victim provides, knowingly or not. An example of this would be a person's use of a Ouija board, tarot cards, or any other oracle used to communicate with the spirit world. The second stage would be "oppression." In this stage, the victim would experience mood swings, lack of sleep, anti-social behavior, etc., and they could experience physical and spiritual attacks. The third stage would be "possession." In this stage, the victim has been broken down to the point where they freely negate their own "free will" willingly, and this allows the possessing spirit to take full control of the body by its infernal will. Q: Do you believe in human spirits? And if so, is it possible for a living person to come under the control of a human spirit? And would this possession need a religious ritual like exorcism? Dave: Yes, I do believe in human spirits. As a matter of fact, as a Christian Catholic, we do affirm this within our beliefs. In regard to possession, it is possible for a human spirit to possess. This is what was commonly referred to as a "Dibbuk," and as a possessing type spirit, it would be dealt as such by exorcism. Sometimes the "Dibbuk" can be benevolent like in the famous case that occurred around 1878 -- "The Watseka Wonder" -- which involved a young girl by the name of Lurancy Vennum and a prior deceased Mary Roff, who had died in July of 1865 at the age of 18. There have been a few books over the years on this particular case if anyone is interested in further reading regarding this case of a human spirit possessing a physical body. of those episodes as a consultant (Seasons 1-4), and I have to say that it was an absolute pleasure to work with Tom Naughton, the crew from New Dominion Pictures, and Discovery Channel. I believe they did their best with what they had. One has to understand that the episodes, on average, were only 49 minutes long. It is very hard to get everything in regarding case details in such a short period of time. In regard to the legitimacy of the cases presented, all I can say is that I know for fact that the cases I was involved with were absolutely factual and represented truthfully as they happened.
Dave Considine (pictured above at right) stands with Bishop and exorcist Robert McKenna, O.P. in front of Our Lady of the Rosary Chapel in Connecticut.
Q: Can you briefly describe the most disturbing case you've investigated? Dave: As I sit here, one in particular one comes to mind. The case I'm speaking of had to do with a mortician's assistant who was a Satanic necrophiliac and had become possessed by a demon. I have to say that the disturbing details involving this case will haunt me for a long, long time. Sometimes I wish I could forget. Q: What led you to investigating the paranormal? Did you have a personal experience? Dave: It was really a combination of different events, but what initially stoked my interest was an experience I had with an entity at about the age of 12. I had been fishing behind my parents' house and was about to return home when I decided to make one more cast. As I did this I realized I was snagged on something in the water, and when I pulled on the line it broke. I proceeded to reel it back in, when all of a sudden I felt as though I was not alone. I don't know what made me look in that direction, but
Q: Many say that Ouija boards are dangerous and should never be played with because they open a portal to the other side. Is there really a danger, or is it just a game? Dave: Anytime an individual uses an oracle or practices divination they negate their free will by their own intention. It's like opening up a phone book, pointing your finger at a random phone number, and dialing that number. Congratulations, you now have someone or something on the phone and you have no knowledge of whom or what you are talking to. And worst of all, you can't hang up the phone. Q: You appeared on episodes of Discovery Channel's A Haunting. Were the producers really interested in telling the true story behind these haunting, or was it just a way to create ratings? Dave: I worked on quite a few
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when I did, I saw something coming across the ground. I can only describe it as a large, glossy black cloth about nine to 10 feet in diameter. As I watched it, I noticed that it stopped and began to change form -- it was now rising up like a pillar as it continued changing shape. I noticed it started to form into a kind of a humanoid shape about six to seven feet tall. Please keep in mind that all of this happened very quickly, but strangely I felt as though time slowed down. I also remember feeling like I was paralyzed. I think it may have been from sheer fear, but I can't say for sure. At once, I turned away from this horror, breaking my fishing rod on a sapling, and I ran as fast as I could back home, scared half out of my mind. I talked my brother into going back down with me the next day to collect my gear. Needless to say, I never saw that thing again, but I can tell you honestly I will never forget that first encounter with the unknown. After this particular event, I had this drive to find out what this was, which started me on my journey. ***** I'm sure a gentleman like Dave Considine would agree with what I am about to say: If you're a paranormal investigator, consider yourself lucky if you have never dealt with an inhuman entity. Inhuman entities can be violent and do possess the ability to hurt those that cross their paths. You cannot come away from dealing with one of these supernatural creatures without it leaving a scar not only on your psyche, but your soul as well.
Join us for 100 Days of Namast� Seeing the Light in Every Person . . . Every Day
For more information about Dave Considine, visit www.phantasmpsiresearch.com.
www.namasteproject.org
October 2010 Paranormal Underground 15
Investigator Spotlight
Wisconsin Illinois Paranormal Solutions
By Rusty Leeann Woehrle, http://centralwisconsinghostsblog.blogspot.com
Relatively Haunted:
I
n the Midwest, a group of ghost hunters strives to help families with paranormal problems. The team, called Wisconsin Illinois Paranormal Solutions (or W.I.P.S. for short), are one big family themselves, which better helps them understand the fear and stress a family can experience when having paranormal activity in their home. W.I.P.S. includes a diverse group of individuals in age and beliefs, and their family bond helps them work together and make that diversity their team's greatest strength. The group's motto -- "It's not just ghosts, its family" -- further exemplifies this philosophy. Helping their clients is W.I.P.S.'s top priority, so their services are free. They don't charge a fee because they believe that while anyone can have a paranormal problem, not everyone can afford to pay to have that problem taken care of. The group travels all over Wisconsin and Illinois, and to connecting states, depending on the case. They are also developing new equipment and gear to help capture even more evidence during their investigations. Once piece of equipment the team now uses is a recorder with instant playback. This feature allows the user to listen to a few seconds of playback while continuing to record audio. W.I.P.S. invents better tools
Pictured above: The Wisconsin Illinois Paranormal Solutions team investigates at Waverly Hills Sanatorium.
to gather paranormal evidence with so that someday the "scientific world" will have the best equipment to start researching the paranormal. When they are not helping out someone in need, W.I.P.S. travels to some of America's most famous haunted places, such as Waverly Hills and The Stanley Hotel. During their travels, members of W.I.P.S. have meet Jack Nicholson, Kris Williams, Jason Hawes, and Grant Wilson, just to name a few. The team now has an online television show on www.paraxvision.
com, called Relatively Haunted, and features locations like Waverly Hills Sanatorium, the Walker House, and the Emanuelson Inn. The show airs Monday nights at 7 p.m. Central, and you can watch past episodes on the team's Website, www.relativelyhaunted.com. W.I.P.S. is also working on adding a radio feature to their Website. I recently spoke with the W.I.P.S. team members about their interest in the paranormal and their personal experiences. *****
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The W.I.P.S. Team
Justin Libigs, Founder & Lead Investigator (Photo � Craig Gauss)
Judy who is a Level 3 Reiki Healer, has had an interest in the paranormal since the fifth grade when she purchased a book about ghosts. Another helping factor was the family ghost stories her grandfather would tell her, which included everything from visits by a three-foot-tall shadowy figure to being chased by ghost dogs. Judy spent years reading books on the paranormal and trying to understand her experiences, which lead her to cofound W.I.P.S. with her son, Justin. Walter "Wally" Carl [Judy's Husband], Tech Manager
Nick Ford [Justin's Uncle], Tech Specialist
When Justin Libigs was five years old, he had a visit from a relative who had passed on before Justin was born. This event sparked Justin's interest in the paranormal; he's been hooked ever since. When he was 12, Justin went on his first investigation at a reportedly haunted local site. He took simple tools to investigate with, such as a Polaroid Camera and a clunky Radio Shack Cassette Recorder. In 2006, Justin came up with the idea of forming a paranormal team with his family. They all had an interest in the paranormal and had done some investigating on their own, so it seemed only natural for them to investigate together as a team. Judy Carl [Justin's Mom], Cofounder & Lead Investigator
An electrician's apprentice, Walter graduated second in his class. After raising four kids, he met Judy. The two fell in love and married. When Judy and Justin began working on putting together W.I.P.S., Wally saw an opportunity to share in something his wife enjoyed and offered his technical skills to the team. Since the passing of his parents, Wally says he has seen "some strange things." Doors in his parent's home would slam shut, and different electronic devices would turn on by themselves. While investigating Waverly Hills in Kentucky, Wally saw shadows moving, but he's not ready to say it was paranormal. Wally may not be ready to believe, but that brings a good skeptic's point of view to the team.
While in his 20's, Nick traveled with his wife, who played in a band. They would often stop and find old towns along the way, and if they were lucky, they'd get to spend the night in one. Nick and his wife would make a point of trying to find and visit haunted places. Being an electrician is what gave Nick the qualifications to be a tech specialist for W.I.P.S. His technical knowledge, along with his 30 years of ghost-hunting experience, makes him a valuable member of the team. Nick is also the jokester of the team and likes to speak his mind. Craig Gauss, Team Photographer & Lead Investigator
Craig is one of the newest members of the team. He has always had an interest in the paranormal, and he watches as many TV shows on the paranormal as he can, as well as reading books on the subject when time allows. When he was younger, Craig
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Investigator Spotlight
always felt like there was some kind of ghost in his house. He oftentimes heard footsteps coming from upstairs when no one was there. Craig has been a part of two other paranormal teams and brings with him a lot of experience. Alexis Libigs [Justin's Daughter], Team Photographer & Investigator in Training Heather's parents had a huge library filled with spiritual and metaphysical books, which she grew up reading. Her grandmother gave her a love of all things unique and unusual. All of this helped make Heather very spiritual, smart, and truthful. Heather sees the good in everyone, even in people she shouldn't. She is a constant seeker of knowledge, which makes her the perfect team member for doing research on the places W.I.P.S. investigates. She also does most of the camera work for the team. Suzie Ford [Justin's Aunt], Investigator
Everything about the "unknown" fascinates her. Paige feels that the paranormal has been around her during her entire life, and she's notices it's always stronger when she's around family. With a love for the "unknown" and a family that hunts ghosts, there was only one obvious choice for Paige . . . joining the family business. Kysa Jensen [Justin's Cousin], Team Psychic & Investigator in Training
Alexis is a typical teenager in her senior year of high school. She is an investigator in training and brings a certain curiosity to each investigation that only a teenager could. Alexis has a love for photography and is always taking pictures of everything, which is how she became the team's photographer. She is also a talented artist, and you can view some of her art on the W.I.P.S. Website. Heather Bram [Justin's Fianc�e], Investigator
From the age of 14, Suzie was raised by her sister Judy Carl, who is the cofounder of W.I.P.S. Over the years, Suzie has lived in many haunted homes -- so many that she now wonders if she's the one haunted and not the homes she lives in. She has become accustomed to know what to look for during investigations as a result of her numerous personal experiences. Heather "Paige" Durkee [Suzie's Daughter], Investigator Paige developed an interest in the paranormal after having an experience when she was three years old in which she saw spirits flying in a circle above her bed.
Kysa is the team's psychic. After her mother passed away, she and her father moved to California. When Kysa was a senior in high school she moved back to Wisconsin and graduated. On a trip to visit her mother's grave, Kysa took a digital voice recorder along with her and conducted an EVP session. The family was surprised and pleased when Kysa played the recording for them; she had captured an EVP of her mother saying, "I love you Kysa."
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Judy, Nick, and Suzie confirmed that the voice on the recorder was indeed their sister Tracy, Kysa's mother. Kysa developed a close relationship with her Aunt Judy, which led to her joining the team, and she is currently an investigator in training. And as her psychic abilities grow, she is proving to be an important member of W.I.P.S. Kysa also has a gift for finding and hearing EVPs when reviewing the audio evidence from an investigation. Kelly Shales, Case Manager
Greg had his first paranormal experience when he was in his 20s. While remodeling his uncle's house, he saw a full-bodied, male apparition. His experience as an electrician gives Greg the knowledge needed to help the W.I.P.S. team set up their equipment. Greg is one of the team's case managers, along with his wife Kelly. *****
Justin: That's a really tough one. I think I'd have to say the Walker House. Not because of the activity or anything like that, but because it's an investigation we did to bring people in the paranormal community together and try and save it. [Note: To help save the Walker House from demolition, please go to www.walkerhousemineralpoint.com and make a donation.] Q: What's the best piece of paranormal evidence you have captured? Justin: I really like three pieces. I love the "Please come to me" EVP we got at Waverly Hills, the disembodied laugh we got at Waverly on film, and the singing doll from Episode 2 of our show. I'll never forget that one. Q: What's the best personal paranormal experience during an investigation you and/or your team have captured? Justin: My favorite experience is when I got punched in the chest at Bartonville State Hospital. It would have freaked most people out, but I loved it! ***** As of September 2010, the W.I.P.S. team has officially become part of the Fate Magazine Paranormal Family. Growing up in a house where a copy of Fate Magazine could usually be found laying around, Justin jumped at the chance to become a part of the company's "family" of teams. In October 2010, Justin and the team will be at the Palmer House, along with other guests for a special Halloween event. For details, visit their Website, www.relativelyhaunted.com.
Q&A With W.I.P.S. Founder Justin Libigs
Q: How did you become interested in the paranormal? Justin: I became interested in the paranormal when I was about five years old. Back then it was called the supernatural. I was visited by my great-greatgrandfather, who died a few years before I was born. In the third grade, it led me to start reading every book I could get my hands on. When I was 12, armed with a big old Radio Shack tape recorder and a hand-medown Polaroid camera, I went on my first investigation. Q: How did you come to form your paranormal team? Justin: My mother, Judy, and I started investigating together. Over time, my uncle, aunt, daughter, cousin, and stepfather joined us, and so the team was born. Q: Have you and/or your team ever had any experiences with nonhuman entities on a case? Justin: Yes we have, but due to confidentiality, I can't discuss them. Q: What was your favorite case to work on?
Kelly had her first paranormal experience when she was seven years old and saw an apparition. She has continued to have experiences since then. Kelly's detective experience helps her to constantly challenge the evidence gathered from each investigation. Greg Shales, Case Manager
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Author Spotlight
Zombies: A Field Guide to the Walking Dead
By Michelle M. Pillow, www.michellepillow.com
Dr. Bob Curran:
H
ave you ever been curious as to how the idea of mindless zombies scouring the neighborhood in search of human flesh began? From the walking dead of Haiti and the Caribbean that have influenced the ideas of Hollywood horror films to the less popularized draugr of Scandinavia, Zombies: A Field Guide to the Walking Dead explores the world of the undead and the myths behind them. Dr. Bob Curran is a writer and broadcaster living in Northern Ireland, as well as a cultural educator for several governmental organizations. He has approximately 38 books to his name, mainly on the subjects of history and culture. His title, Zombies: A Field Guide to the Walking Dead, is currently in bookstores. ***** Q: First off, are you now or have you ever been a zombie? Bob: I don't think that I've ever been a zombie, at least not that I can remember. In some instances I may have worked with zombies, but that's another story. Q: In your book Zombies: A Field Guide to the Walking Dead, you
Dr. Bob Curran has written 38 books, mainly on the subjects of history and culture.
continue to fascinate us even down to today? And I suppose that's why I began to write the book. I suppose that the idea of zombies addresses certain fundamental questions about death, and perhaps about resurrection as well. The underlying question is: If I die (and remember death is the last great mystery), can I come back in some form? This is, I feel, a question that appears in many cultures, and it forms the basis of a number of religions, including Christianity, in which death and resurrection are the central tenets. So I wanted to write a book that looked at zombies in some more depth and detail than simply the slasher/zombie dawn type of way that is common in so many books. Q: What inspired you to write about the subject? Bob: As you may realize if you have read some of my books, I try to do as much research as I can. Any of my books in this field starts with me asking myself a lot of questions and then trying to find the answers. So I guess the things that inspired me to write the book on zombies were the questions I was asking myself. And the basic question is, "Is
delve into the world of the undead and their impact on cultures throughout history. Tell us about your book? Bob: One of the questions that I'm always asked is: Do zombies/ werewolves/vampires actually exist? That is really not the question that intrigues me -- they may or they may not. The question is: Why should people want to believe in them? What need does such a belief answer in society? Why should they
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there something deeper here?" And there usually is. Q: How have cultural impressions of zombies changed throughout history? Bob: I don't think that cultural impressions have changed throughout history -- the questions about death and resurrection still remain the same -- nor even have they adapted all that much in the way that, say, werewolf impressions have (from the noble beast to the ravening monster), but the way we look at them has. In a sense, in earlier times the walking dead returned from the grave in places like Ireland to see their loved ones and to enjoy things that they had enjoyed in life. And they often returned under God's dispensation because they were blessed. Among the Vikings, the dead returned simply to carry on the things that they had done when alive -- there was little distinction between life and death. It was writers like William Seabrook who linked some of the walking dead with the notion of zombies and Voodoo. Voodoo, which is an official religion in Benin, is a kind of umbrella for a number of minor religions (mainly African), such as Shango and Mama Watti. Le Gran Zombi does not specifically refer to the walking dead but to a manifestation of Damballah Wedo, one of the gods of the Voodoo pantheon. However, in his book Magic Island (about Haiti -- first published in 1929 -- so the Westernized concept of zombies that we have is pretty modern), Seabrook seemed to suggest that there were dead men being raised by local houngans and mambos (male and female magicians) and sold to plantation owners as cheap labor. His article Dead Men Working in the Cane Fields was reprinted in a number of American magazines. There seems to have been some
sort of basis for this belief, as the 1835 Haitian Penal Code (Codigo Penal de Haiti) seems to make such employment an offense. How widespread this idea was is questionable, but it did exist. This has, in turn, become linked with alleged acts of cannibalism and has given rise to the idea of the flesheating zombie with which we are so familiar in the slash-and-gore zombie films that we see today. In this respect, maybe our cultural impressions have changed a little across the years.
had been drugged by his brother (a feared houngan) using a "poudre" -- a substance connected with zombification -- and had been sold to a planter on the other side of the island. He had suddenly "come to" and made his way to the nearest village where his sister had encountered him. The story is engrossing because it suggests some sort of narcotic might be used to induce a zombie state. The tale inspired Canadian ethnographer Wade Davis to investigate further and see if he could determine the nature of the "poudre" used by the houngans and bokors in Haiti. Although Davis' findings -- and indeed his investigation in which he portrays himself like an Indiana Jones figure -- are questionable, his book on the subject, The Serpent and the Rainbow, became a best seller and later a film. Perhaps it is the idea that some sort of poudre (maybe a psychotropic drug) might exist. Davis' research was inconclusive, which I find appealing and which probably makes the story my favorite one. Q: What cultures throughout history have zombie myths? Are they similar or vastly different? Bob: As I said earlier, the fundamental questions about life and death are pretty universal ones, so it is natural, I suppose, that they appear in all cultures -- though maybe not in the form that we have become used to through the medium of books and films. In Ireland, for example, the marbh bheo, or night-walking dead, might be classed as zombies -- they return from their graves to the places they knew in life. Some of these are the Blest Dead, who have led good lives and are permitted by God to do so; others are raised by the Devil and travel the roads in order to do harm. Similarly, the "living mummies" of areas such as Mount Yodono in Japan (if they can be counted as zombies) are
Zombies: A Field Guide to the Walking Dead explores the world of the undead and the myths behind them.
Q: Do you have a favorite zombie myth or story? Bob: I don't really have a favorite zombie story. I would guess that the most intriguing story is that of Clairvius Narcisse, who in 1980 turned up somewhat disheveled in a Haitian village and was recognized by his sister who lived there. Nothing unusual about that, except Clairvius was supposed to have died in 1960. His story was a strange one -- he
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Author Spotlight
monks who have deliberately "mummified" themselves in order to display their holiness. This practice is now forbidden by the Japanese government. So while the fundamental questions remain the same, the way in which it is achieved can be different, and not all zombies may take the form that we have been led to expect. and perhaps fulfils a need in many of us by suggesting that there is something beyond our own existence that gives a shape and purpose to our lives. So I keep an open mind. Q: Why do you think readers, and society in general, are fascinated by the paranormal? supernatural literature it's some of the classic stuff, which I enjoy. All the modern-day slash and gore does very little for me. The last film I watched was Shutter Island, which I did enjoy as it was extremely well done, even though I'd guessed the ending. But I liked the creepiness of the place. Q: Have you ever had a paranormal experience? Bob: No, I haven't had a paranormal experience. All the "uncanny experiences" I've had, I've always been able to explain. I took part in a number of radio/TV programs on ghost hunting and didn't see anything. There was a belief in the part of the world where I came from that only one member of a family could see ghosts and so forth, and this doesn't seem to have been me. My brother, though, is supposed to have seen a ghost -- the spectre of an old woman who previously owned a house where he lived in England. Q: How would you react if you came face to face with a zombie? Bob: Probably run. Best form of avoidance. Q: What does the future hold for you? Any new books in the works? Bob: Two new books from Career coming out this year and next -- Dark Fairies and Man Made Monsters. Also a series of books for young people coming out in England and new books coming out in both Australia and America -- one on the Papacy this year and one on bushrangers next, I think. Also, the development of my community work, which is very important to me. ***** If you're interested in checking out this or other titles by Dr. Bob Curran, visit www.newpagebooks.com.
"Zombie literature/cinema will possibly become more extreme and more shocking."
Q: How do you think zombie myths will change in the future? Bob: It depends on how you view zombie myths. If we look at how zombies are portrayed in literature and in the cinema, I think that will change as writers and directors search for new angles with which to shock, disgust, and terrify us. Zombie literature/cinema will possibly become more extreme and more shocking. But we must remember that this counts as entertainment and depends on our view of the walking dead -- folkloric zombie stories will remain as they always have. And zombies will remain a fascinating subject. Q: Do you believe in the supernatural? Or are you a skeptic? Bob: Once again, it depends what you mean by "the supernatural." Let me say that I neither believe nor disbelieve. I have met some very rounded and "down-to-earth" people who have told me some fantastic things, and I have no reason to doubt them. Also, many things that were once counted as "supernatural" have their base in scientific explanation today, and this may be the case in the future. What the "supernatural" may ultimately be is an interpretation of our own environment in a particular way -- after all, this is the basis of religion, which is a form of the "supernatural," Bob: I think that the answer lies in relation to the above. People are fascinated by the supernatural because it suggests that there is something more to the world than what we can actually physically see and touch. I think that this is a very fundamental perspective and forms the basis of many religions, including Christianity. I think the idea of the supernatural springs from a deepseated curiosity, a need to explain things around us and a need for reassurance that we have some form of meaning and purpose to our lives -- that perhaps death is not the end or that existence is simply not directionless. This perspective has taken many forms -- from ghosts to werewolves, vampires, zombies -- but basically it all springs, I think, from the same source. Q: What are your favorite paranormal shows, movies, and books? Bob: I get very little time to watch TV or even read (other than research). Most of the "supernatural" television or films that I've actually watched I didn't really like. Everybody thinks that I should rate Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but I watched about half an hour of one episode and turned it off. I went and saw The Wolfman, the new version, and liked that because it reflected the original movie. If I read
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October 2010 Paranormal Underground
23
Special Report
The New (Black-Eyed) Kids on the Block:
A Working Profile of the BEK Phenomenon
By Shaun Belekurov, Spooksfield Investigative Unit
S
ince releasing my book, 2012: The Paranormal Cookbook, the most asked about entity is invariably the "Phantom Clowns" and the "Black-Eyed-Kids" (BEKs). This Internet phenomenon surrounding BEKs rivals Chupacabra in recent interest without the coverage of conventional media. The original story was told by Brian Bethel, a freelance writer who has had numerous pieces published in Texas papers. He really laid the groundwork, so we want to credit him appropriately. He relates an experience he had in Abilene, Texas, and one of a colleague in Seattle, Washington. The tales are fairly typical in nature to most follow-up stories I've read and had submitted to me. They almost always pop up at night and most frequently near dusk and dawn. Generally, one night you are alone in your home or car when a group (usually two or three, occasionally an individual) will attract your attention by knocking on your door or car window. You are inevitably startled, and at first you feel silly for being spooked by a couple of kids, usually teenagers and often of a Lenny and George Of Mice and Men dynamic. The bigger one seems slower and quiet, while the smaller one is
"just need to inform the authorities." As the story goes, if you allow them entry . . . THEY GET YA! This smacks of Urban Legend with a rehash of qualities found in demon and vampire lore. Black-Eyed Kids: Urban Legend? Or Something Else? The most striking feature of BEKs is -- yep, you guessed it -- their totally black eyes, including the iris, pupil, the "white" of the eye . . . the whole shebang. This is reminiscent of the Children of the Corn or the eyes of the aliens in The X-Files. Of course, the seeking permission for entry is a very common theme in vampire lore. And, BEKs have a tendency to disappear when pursued, even when there is no place they could have gone or hidden. This same behavior is reported in men in black/vampire/ghost hitchhiker encounters. This seems to just be a composite of elements ascribed to other demonic type entities in supernatural literature. This has to be fake, right? Not so fast there, Quick Draw McGraw. There are other features that are either VERY obscure or that have not been raised in association with any phenomena I am familiar with. For one thing, BEKs dress as you would expect a normal teenager
Who or what are Black-Eyed Kids? Spirit entities or demonic forces from Hell?
more vocal, obviously in charge, and seems somewhat manipulative in his behavior. Invariably, they will ask you to let them in; this is one of the only constants in the reports I have come across. Sometimes this request is communicated telepathically, but more often asked aloud. At this point, you're feeling increasingly anxious. You offer to call their ride or direct them to a nearby pay-phone, but they are persistent. "Just for a moment" is what they tell you. Sometimes they claim to have had an accident and that they
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to dress (contemporary) with one exception: They seem to have a definite fashion statement in the wearing of checkered shirts or pants. We see this to be a recurring theme with the "Grinning Man" and bridge walkers in the The Mothman Prophecies. And, we can't forget the witness reports from the 1970s of Bigfoot wearing checkered shirts, checkered robes worn in some higher Masonic and magical rituals, and checkered garb worn by Phantom Clowns (which we will discuss in a future article). This indicator is a piece of information rarely known to the general public. It is a little more familiar in the circles I travel in, but not much. So this is a consistency that your average hoaxer would have very little awareness of, at best. The images that most of us would associate with vampires, as well as Children of the Corn motif, are of people with pale, pasty complexions. This is an understandable preconceived notion, but incorrect. In 60% of the cases I've received about BEKs, these young-uns were described as "dark" in skin tone. I have heard Brazilian, Samoan, Indian (Hindu), and Dominican from witnesses attempting ethnic categorization. In 30% of the cases, the witnesses described the eyes as having
and Persian in appearance. So, again if these are hoaxers, they've done their homework. BEKs have been reported in 23 states to date throughout the country, but the most reports come from cities. They seem to be metropolitan/cotemporary manifestations versus the MIB of areas like rural West Virginia. Hot spots for BEK sightings are Boston, New York, and Philadelphia in the East and Portland and Encounters with Black-Eyed Kids are said to generate Seattle in the West. anxiety and even sheer terror in witnesses. Reports Other reports of often characterize this phenomenon as being evil. BEKs indicate they sometimes wear darkcolored, long-sleeved, hooded shirts with the their "being marked." hood up -- evocative of the Grim I know it's hard to hang your factReaper. Other times they are seen checking hat on a "feeling," but I also wearing stocking caps. know that in investigating these matI had a case where a thin, almost ters it is important to note any and all "sickly" looking 14-year-old was patterns, be they statistical corroboradressed all in black. His face was tions or intuitive assessments. very gaunt and his eyes seemed Another observation is that almost sunken into his head. He when BEKs are observed in a public asked permission for entry while place, no matter how crowded, they leaning on a large "walking stick." have no one seated at the tables next So, those of you with an imagito them. I have also been informed nation can visualize this and see that when they walk about, people seem to make a clear path for them, even in a crowd -- again subjective but interesting. The last aspect we will touch on is that, for some reason, BEKs seem to have an affinity for coffee houses. I have three cases in my files of encounters at Starbucks (which seems appropriate, considering one of the first reported sightings occurred where this company originated . . . in Seattle, Washington). Two were outside a Dunkin' Donuts, and another two were at an unnamed
"I looked into the sleeping area, and there she was, that smiling devil."
a subtle but defined slant. They are often described as having foreign or exotic facial features. When we look back to John Keel and his theories on Men In Black (MIBs), the above description seems to be close to descriptions of MIB types who look like Gypsies or Oriental the obvious connection. The next observation is a subjective one, but very common. There is a feeling that these children are "predatory," as I am often informed. The majority of the witnesses felt compelled to "stand their ground" or to "not show fear" because this would result in
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Special Report
glancing over his shoulder each time Ken passed them. To Ken, this was a sign of a guilty conscious, and a few minutes later he approached the pair. The bigger boy seemed nervous but not "Oh shoot, I've been caught" scared. Ken had the pair empty their pockets, and the boys obliged. They indeed had several items from the store with the price tags still affixed. Ken then took them back to his office to call the police. He began by questioning the duo. Reports of BEK sightings range over multiple loca- The smaller of the two did all the talking and seemed tions, including homes, cars, convenience stores, "amused" by the situation. and even coffee shops. Ken believed they were on drugs because their pupils seemed fully dilated. coffee establishment. While waiting for the Maybe it's an exhausting, latepolice to arrive, the head of security night gig being a damned soul, and began to review the tapes of the boys. BEKs need their caffeine fix. And upon viewing the tapes, he got Other reports have BEKs showhis first real indication that something ing up outside convenience stores out of the ordinary was going on. with some frequency. While the boys were on tape almost every second in the store, they were BEK Encounters From the never "caught in the act." So Ken was SPOOKS Case Files faced with a peculiar situation: With Just so the reader can have a cops on the way, he had the kids on feeling of the texture of these experipossession of stolen property but no ences, we are going to relate a couple other evidence. of cases from the SPOOKS archive. This BEK tale comes from Ken, who is the head of security (loss prevention) at a large retail store in Michigan. This event took place at the end of October 2007. Ken was walking around his store and kept The head of security then noticing a couple of young men locked the two kids in his personal around the age of 15 -- one large, office; other than a steel door, the one short. He did not recognize the only other exit was a window with pair and noted, "They looked like wire embedded in the glass. He went some of those Goth kids" dressed in to talk to the night manager about dark clothes. the situation (as he didn't want to The big "kid" seemed nervous, talk over his radio), and when the two of them returned to his office, the boys were gone. The window had been shattered (inward), but the wire was still in place. And while the video was still in the main office, the entire system was ruined in a way that was consistent with a "magnetic rinse" (where you take a magnet and run it over a computer, TV, etc.), leaving Ken with only this fantastical story and circumstantial evidence at the scene. Working-Class BEKs Our next BEK account comes to us from Gerald in Ohio. Gerald is a trucker doing long hauls. After making a delivery around midnight, he decided to drive back home to see his daughter. He did this about half the time, especially when he was within 200 miles of home. Otherwise, he would bed down at a weigh station or occasionally a cheap motel. He had been on the road for a little over two hours and decided to stop and get an early breakfast. He pulled into a truck stop diner that was still open and offering that charming promise of "Eat Here, Get Gas" -- which is always worth a chuckle. Gerald entered the restaurant and noticed the lights seemed to be especially dim. The sign said "Open," but he saw no-one. Finally, a waitress came from the back. She greeted
"She was all dried out like a mummy, and her mouth was stretched."
him, and the two spent a couple of minutes in "light conversation." She seemed "very bright" and knowledgeable, so much so that Gerald inquired if she was from a trucker family since she had an "extremely good understanding of routes." But she told him no, that she
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was an Army brat and had done a bit of traveling "in her day." This from a girl who "looked 17 in a bad light." She took his order and went back to the kitchen. At this point, the driver realized that the situation was a little peculiar. A teenage waitress being the only person in the restaurant? He said he waited around 20 minutes, trying to think of a slick way to ask her for her number. She was unlike anyone he had ever met. Not only was she just smart in general, but he felt that they "connected, that she knew me." She guessed his birth day and year, and she seemed very intuitive. This wasn't what bothered him; what kept nagging him was how, when he ordered a chicken fried steak, she informed him, "You can't have that. It's fried in peanut oil." Gerald was deathly allergic to peanuts, but he had never told her that. The more he thought about it, the more perplexed he became. Finally, he decided to go back and ask the young lady how she could possibly know about his allergy. And now I will let Gerald tell the story in his own words. "So I got up, went to the back where there was a little office for the manager, ya know? I knocked on the door, kinda soft at first, then harder. I knocked three dif-
ferent times, but I got no answer. I kinda nudged the door open just a bit -- I didn't want to catch her changing clothes or nothing -- and she was standing with her back towards me. "`Missus,' I say, and then she turned around. I freaked. Her eyes were totally black; I mean no white at all. Her skin was so dry, her olive complexion was full of cracks, not wrinkles, mind you, but cracked skin like you see on chapped lips, ya know? "She was all dried out like a mummy, and her mouth was stretched. I mean more than anyone I've ever seen. It was way too wide
to be normal; seemed like she was grinning ear to ear, literally. Then she let out this, like, inhuman sound. Kinda like a coyote's yip, but deeper sounding, ya know? "I took off so fast that I forgot to pick up my keys. They were sitting on top of my logbook. But when I got to my rig, they were sitting right there on the front seat. I know for damn sure I never leave my logbook in the cab. "I looked up at the diner, and I could see her moving from one spot to the next. It was so fast that she seemed almost blurry, like when a hummingbird flaps its
wings, ya know? I think she had that same look on her face, like it was frozen. I decided to get the hell outta there. I started my rig and rolled to the exit. I looked into the sleeping area, and there she was, that smiling devil girl. I tried to take off, but I forgot to look. Nearly hit a state trooper, and then she was gone. "The trooper seemed, uh, doubtful about my story, and it didn't help that there was no one in the diner. It had been closed since midnight. I know what I saw; can't no one tell me different. The things she knew, the way she moved: It wasn't human. But the worst of it is, when I close my eyes at night, I see her grinning that really evil grin. I ain't been able to sleep right since." Understandably so. So "what" are these BEKs? The growing number of encounters suggests they are either a new phenomena or, as I suspect, new stage dressing behind a phenomenon that has been experienced since the beginning of recorded history. Whether it's Green Children, MIBs, or the BEKs, there is a history of mysterious folk who pop up from time to time and place to place. Maybe the next time might be in your neck of the woods. Trick or Treat.
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HIGH STRANGENESS
The Skinwalker Ranch
By Paul Bottini, http://zzyzxparanormal.com
at
T
wo hundred pounds. Two hundred godforsaken pounds! That's how much the wolf approaching Tom Gorman must have weighed! "What wolf weighs 200 pounds?" the rancher's mind raced. "They just don't get that big." Tom knew it. So did his family. And yet, before the Gormans stood a beast that, on all fours, was chest-high to a six-foot-tall man. Even more bizarre? The wolf, if that's what it was, seemed completely tame. Ed, Tom's father, extended a quivering hand, petting the rainslicked fur of the monstrous beast, while the animal eyed the Gorman family (AKA the Sherman family). Abruptly, the massive creature raced for a nearby corral, ensnaring the head of one of Tom's prized Angus calves between its jaws. With powerful force, the enormous predator worked its squealing captive partially through the bars of the enclosure. Tom raced forward, kicking the beast, while Ed unloaded a series of home run blasts via a Louisville Slugger upon the abomination. Tad, Tom's son, yanked a Magnum pistol from the family truck and tossed it to his father. Without hesitation, Tom fired three slugs into the bloodthirsty
animal. The wolf seemed unfazed, yet relinquished its death grip on the calf. Tom squeezed the trigger a fourth time, placing a round in the monstrosity's heart. The first shot, alone, should have killed the creature, much less the following three bullets. Yet, the anomaly sat peacefully, gazing back at the rancher. Wounds across the beast's hulking frame, much less signs of blood, were nonexistent. Tad handed Tom his .30-06, a rifle that can slay elk.
The cattleman pumped another two rounds into the wolf. A hunk of shoulder flesh and fur ripped free from the animal. The creature merely stared back at his attacker. A moment later, the beast turned and trotted away. Tom and Tad raced after the anomaly, which accelerated quickly, escaping behind a grove of Russian olive trees. Losing sight of the speedy animal, the father-son pair was able
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to follow the beast's trail to a clearing 25 yards from a nearby river. It was there the animal's tracks simply vanished, as did the wolf, itself. This isn't a work of fiction, but rather one of numerous accounts experienced by the Gorman family on an isolated ranch, known as the Skinwalker Ranch, in Northeastern Utah. For the Gormans, this wasn't the last encounter with the wolves, either. Ellen, Tom's wife, would be visited by another member of the oversized pack, this one a good head taller than her Chevy Chevette. In fact, the beast was so large it needed to lean down in order to peer through the driver's side window at Ellen as she slowly entered the outskirts of her ranch property. But the wolves were only the beginning. Over a period of 18 months, the Gorman family witnessed a deluge of the paranormal, including cattle mutilations, dimensional portals, ethereal beast encounters, poltergeist activity, spook lights, threatening aircraft of unknown origin, UFO sightings, and vanishing livestock. The anomalous events were to become so frequent and jeopardizing, the Gormans would eventually move from their property, fleeing for their lives. The Skinwalker Ranch: A Portal to the Other Side? It was 1994, and Tom Gorman had just purchased 480 acres of homestead in the "Beehive State." Tom was hopeful the transition from small town New Mexico would be a positive one for him and his clan. A more wholesome existence herding prized cattle in "God's country" should be just what the Gormans needed. Little did Tom know he was relocating his family to perhaps the most renowned anomalous hotspot on the planet. It was soon theorized that this tucked away region of Utah may be home to a rift between dimensions -- a type of portal through which all
Over an 18-month period, a family living on the infamous Skinwalker Ranch witnessed cattle mutilations, dimensional portals, ethereal beast encounters, poltergeist activity, spook lights, and UFO sightings. (Photo: www.skinwalkerranch.org)
sorts of enigmas found foothold. To the Gormans, however, the ranch became a nightmare. By 1996, the family was ready to sell the place for a song, as had the owners before them. Navajo tribal hierarchy includes an individual known as the medicine man, highly renowned for his knowledge of positive healing. According to legend, an evil counterpart, called the Skinwalker, also holds place within Navajo tradition. Pure malevolence, with strong ties to the underworld, the Skinwalker is the antithesis of the medicine man. A familiar trait of this immoral half-man, half-spirit is its ability to transform into any animal. Hence, its name. Whether or not the folklore of such a creature is true, the rash of unexplainable activity on the Skinwalker Ranch is difficult to deny. Equally mysterious is the fact that local Native Americans refuse to set foot on the homestead, for fear of negative repri-
sals from unknown forces. Trouble began for the Gormans almost immediately after moving to the ranch. Ellen Gorman questioned her own sanity, as she would set down cooking utensils in the kitchen of her new home, step outside for a breath of fresh air, and return to find the items missing. Equally disconcerting was discovering the implements somewhere strange, like the freezer or microwave. Displaced objects became commonplace around the Gorman household, as Tom's 70-pound post digger vanished, only to reappear later lodged high within a tree. Ellen would often arrive home from the grocery store, stock what she'd purchased, leave the kitchen, and return to find the items she'd shelved spread all over the floor. Strange headlights began appearing on the property in the middle of the night. During one such incident, annoyed that anyone might trespass upon his land, Tom Gorman ap-
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peared he was getting a rare glimpse at something from an alternate dimension entering his own space and time. This type of speculation was painful for a devoutly religious family to consider, but what else could explain such bizarre anomalies? The Activity at The Ranch Becomes Threatening During the winter of 1994, the strange events on the ranch became threatening. Tom found himself on horseback, following the trail of one of his top breeding cows through the snow. By the animal's gait, Gorman surmised the cow had been desperate and running at full speed. But running from what? The heifer's were the only tracks as far as the eye could see. When Tom followed the trail to a massive clearing, what he witnessed chilled him to the bone. There, in the middle of an open expanse, with nowhere to go, the frenzied tracks simply stopped, with no sign of the cow anywhere. As Tom rode back to the house, he pondered what type of force could be powerful enough to lift a half-ton head of livestock into the night sky during a driving snowstorm. Gorman would never see the animal again. For a cattleman who prided himself on perfection, the loss of one cow per year was too much to bear, let alone the four that would simply vanish in similar fashion over the next three months. It was when numerous heads of cattle turned up mutilated that Tom became seriously concerned for his family's livelihood. Even more frustrating was the fact the ravaged animals were being killed and disfigured in broad daylight, often mere minutes after the Gormans had seen them alive. Along with the ubiquitous fear of financial ruin came a different type of terror for the family. This particular horror manifested itself in
The previous owner of The Skinwalker Ranch, Tom Gorman, was more successful capturing evidence of paranormal activity on his ranch when he was in "stealth mode." (Photo: www.skinwalkerranch.org)
proached the source of the illuminations -- what appeared to be an RV-type vehicle. As he neared, the machine receded into the darkness, gliding over fence lines and 50-foot tree lines before noiselessly disappearing into the night. With an increase in bizarre activity around the Skinwalker Ranch, so too came an expansion of Tom's curiosity. On more than one occasion, he found himself creeping stealthily about his property, stalking some type of anomaly. One frigid evening, Tom inadvertently discovered a massive aircraft hovering silently above the ranch, as if searching for something. Although initially pegging the strange vehicle as a cross between an F-117A Stealth Fighter and a B-2 Stealth Bomber, Tom quickly realized the awesome machine was noiselessly floating no more than 20 feet off the ground.
He had the sensation that whatever the craft might be, it was somehow defying gravity. It was only when Tom accidentally made a slight noise that the machine whirled around to face him. Frightened at what might occur next, the rancher held his breath and the silent craft floated away, vanishing into the darkness. A separate incident made Tom witness to a large rift in the sky over his property. These apparent rips in the atmosphere were common; all four members of the family viewed them at one time or another. Although it would often be near-dark outside, the family would see bright, blue sky appear inside the tears. Multiple layers became obvious within the strange lacerations. Even more unsettling was the time Tom observed a large, black, triangular object emerging from one of the rifts. To the rancher, it ap-
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the form of spook lights. Normally, a far-off illumination of varying size that disappeared when pursued, in the case of the Skinwalker Ranch's enigmatic effulgence, the orbs were actually aggressive, flying mere feet from both Tom and Ellen. What's more, up close the illuminations appeared manufactured, with glass-like housing containing a continuously moving blue liquid. On numerous occasions, the Gormans were left cowering as the orbs whirred around them, apparently capable of evoking deep-seated anxiety. One particular episode solidified the eerie omnipresence of whatever unseen force was controlling things on the Skinwalker Ranch. The end of June 1996 brought a stranger to the Gorman property. A tall, blond man who had heard tales of the area's mysterious attributes appeared one day, asking if he could meditate on the land. Although Tom was hesitant, the stranger's near pleading led Gorman to acquiesce. Tom took the visitor to a clearing a mile from the house, and the man began his introspection. Off in the distance, the rancher became aware of an eerie cowbell resonating. The sound puzzled Tom, since none of his animals wore the crude devices. Behind a nearby copse of trees, Gorman could see something moving at a high rate of speed. Something big. Eyes closed, continuing his meditation, the blond visitor took no notice, as a monstrous wraith, mired in what appeared to be heat waves, broke from the woods and raced toward him. Before Tom could warn his peaceful visitor, the enormous beast towered over the blond man, bellowing forth a thunderous roar that shook the ground. Jarring from his reverie, the man scrambled backward in terror. The huge anomaly returned to the cover of trees in mere seconds. It took
Tom several minutes to calm his hysterical visitor. Needless to say, the man vowed never to return to the Skinwalker Ranch. In Tom's mind, the episode validated the immense power of what he and his family were up against. The sight of the creature looming above the meditating man also proved the forces at work may no longer be hesitant to harm humans. Tom's worst misgivings were justified after a group of blue, fear-inducing
orbs appeared on the property one evening. Curious to see what might transpire, Tom unleashed three of his dogs on the whirring objects. Within moments, the rancher realized he had made a grave mistake. The spook lights proceeded to lead the canines behind a growth of trees and systematically incinerate the animals. It was at this point Tom realized he would be putting his family in tremendous danger should they remain on the property.
The Skinwalker Ranch includes 480 acres of property southeast of Ballard, Utah. The alleged paranormal events that took place on the ranch were first reported by Las Vegas Mercury reporter George Knapp, an investigative journalist. (Photo: www.skinwalkerranch.org)
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Case Files of the Unknown: Haunted Sites
Within hours, the Gormans had vacated the ranch. Circulating via nationwide newspaper, the family's tribulations grabbed the interest of a collaboration of expert investigators, known as the National Institute for Discovery Science (NIDS). Backed by one of the wealthiest men in the country, NIDS was hell-bent on probing the paranormal. It was time for a new chapter to begin on the Skinwalker Ranch. A chapter in which science and technology collided with the unknown. NIDS Buys The Skinwalker Ranch In 1996, Tom Gorman sold the Skinwalker Ranch to NIDS. The group purchased the land for a mere $200,000 and began studying the strange enigmas occurring on the property. NIDS was an anomaly itself, being the first well-funded accumulation of top scientific minds focused on the sole purpose of paranormal investigation. Backed by Las Vegas real estate mogul, Robert Bigelow, this team had kept a watchful eye on local news coverage of the Skinwalker Ranch, realizing the important scientific opportunity presented to them in obtaining the Gorman property. Armed with a pair of Ph.D.accredited scientists and a group of top-tier technologists from multiple disciplines, the organization headed out to the ranch to see what they could find. In the meantime, the Gorman family relocated to a more diminutive farmstead 25 miles away. Tom Gorman signed on as ranch manager of the Skinwalker in order to hopefully clarify some of the mystery surrounding the property. Immediately upon venturing onto the land, the team felt collectively uneasy, as though they were being watched. But watched by whom? Or what? NIDS began their tour of the ranch with an investigation of four distinct cattle mutilations that had taken place prior to their arrival. On the Western portion of the land, Tom led the team to a pair of mysterious, circular cavities in the ground. Gorman claimed these types of holes were often remnants left behind by inexplicable, nocturnal aircraft. With a full briefing of the anomalous events taking place on the homestead, NIDS hashed out a course of action. For the first time, whatever enigmatic presence inhabited the area became the prey, as opposed to the pursuer. This would later factor in greatly with a number of conclusions reached by NIDS regarding the Skinwalker Ranch. Although many scientists involved in the project argued that advanced technology would be the key to success, an opposing faction concluded that low-end surveillance would yield optimum results. Tom, himself, sided with the latter of the two camps, stating that his best opportunities for capturing paranormal activity came when he crawled about the land on his stomach, armed with only an antiquated video camera. Tom theorized that whatever ethereal presence was occupying the property had to be of greater intelligence than he was. It was as if the unseen force could pierce whatever veil Tom existed upon, while he conversely was unable to gain ground on his enigmatic pursuer. The only time he felt he was getting the drop on the strangeness was when he covertly lay in waiting, using minimal electronic equipment with which to capture evidence of aberrant activity. Despite Tom's recommendation, an extensive network of detectors, night vision equipment, still cameras, and video recorders were deployed to ensnare enigmas, not only in the UV spectrum but also the electromagnetic and magnetic. Two reconnaissance teams armed with a multitude of surveillance equipment were sent into the field on a nightly basis. Both squads were comprised of one or two paranormal researchers and at least one scientist. An advisory board, inclusive of 15 top scientific minds, would fly into Las Vegas for regular debriefings from the groups con-
Cattle mutilations and animal disappearances were commonplace on The Skinwalker Ranch. Pictured above: This animal was discovered by NIDS thoroughly mutilated and with its left ear cleanly cut with a sharp instrument. (Photo: NIDS)
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ducting field investigations. The role of this consulting committee was to systematically determine the validity of the evidence compiled by the researchers at the ranch. Throughout October and November 1996, the NIDS crew shuttled from Las Vegas to Utah, not only conducting nightly investigations, but also interviewing neighbors of the Skinwalker Ranch. Apparently, the Gormans' old ranch wasn't the only property upon which paranormal activity had been encountered, although it did seem to be the epicenter of the bizarre disturbances. The team recorded dozens of interviews with local residents who had experienced the unexplained. A particularly horrific account came from a Mr. Gonsalez, who had discovered one of his cows, with a pair of its legs broken, lying in a field on his property. Fearful his animal was in shock, Gonsalez raced to his ranch house, retrieving a blanket with which to keep the creature warm. When the herdsman returned five minutes later, the cow had vanished. Cattle in the aforementioned condition can't just move on their own. With no boulders or trees to hide behind, the fact that Gonsalez wasn't able to see the heifer simply didn't make sense. Perplexed, the rancher returned home. An hour later, Gonsalez was shocked as he peered out his window and viewed the cow in question 50 yards from her original position. This time, however, when the man raced out to examine the animal, all four of her legs were broken. Gonsalez theorized the cow must have been lifted into an aircraft and, on two separate occasions, dropped from a considerable altitude. This was the only explanation for her broken limbs. Why, then, hadn't the rancher heard or seen the surmised aircraft? His land was flat and provided no place for aerial vehicles to hide.
This mutilated animal was found by NIDS spread-eagle on the grass with no blood on or underneath it. (Photo: NIDS)
Only three nights following the Gonsalez interview, the NIDS team would experience an enigmatic encounter of its own. On the evening of November 13, at 1:30 a.m., two crew members viewed a brilliant, yellow light racing toward them from behind a nearby ridge. Emitting no sound, the aerial luminance circled the pair of investigators before speeding off into the darkness. It was an episode that set a precedent for NIDS' overall experiences on the ranch. Neither team member had been prepared to witness anything divergent and, thereby, were caught off guard. It was as if the light had played an advanced game of hide-and-seek with the investigators. Cattle Mutilations, 400-Pound Beasts, and Disappearing Bulls As temperatures dipped below zero, the NIDS team headed for the warmer confines of Las Vegas but remained on call should anything abnormal occur on the land. January 21, 1997, brought just such an incident, when Tom Gorman phoned the group reporting bizarre injuries to
three of the calves on the property. According to the ranch manager, mutilation to the eyes and ears of the animals in question occurred during a severe snowstorm the previous evening. Conditions this drastic would have prevented predators from venturing into the open and attacking the animals, which were kept inside a closed corral. Yet photos taken by Tom clearly showed a cow with a shredded ear, and another two cattle with holes poked in their eyelids. On March 10, things escalated to a point of great concern. Tom informed NIDS that something inexplicable had dismembered a prized calf during the day while he and Ellen were in close proximity to the animal. According to the cattleman, neither he nor his wife heard or saw a thing. Five hours later, three members of NIDS had flown in from Vegas and were examining the carcass of the dead beast. Whatever killed the calf had been exceedingly powerful, able to rip the animal's leg bones from their knee sockets. Even more peculiar was the fact that the creature's four
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claimed to have hit both beasts, one with the initial round and the other with the last two. The rancher described the aberrance on the ground as a monstrous, feral dog, weighing in excess of 400 pounds. NIDS was left with almost no physical evidence to substantiate what they had witnessed. This trend would prove indicative of the group's overall experiences. The high strangeness continued on the ranch and yet palpable proof as to the identity of its perpetrators would remain just out of reach. Anomalous events never followed any type of pattern. Thereby, the scientists were unsure where to focus their data-collecting equipment. Still, the fact the investigative teams were able to corroborate one another's reports ensured the researchers that something beyond their comprehension was occurring. Overwhelming neighbor testimony also lent credence to the supernatural origin of what appeared to be happening. If the Gormans were fabricating a yarn, their efforts were thorough. To achieve such a monumental accomplishment, collusion with countless acquaintances over a vast radius around their property would have been necessary. Of course, this begs the question of motive. Why would such a capacious and varied grouping of people commit a hoax? What could they possibly gain? Money wasn't a catalyst, as the Gormans never made a dime from their story, and neither did any of their neighbors. In fact, neither the Gormans nor those contiguous to their property ever attempted to benefit monetarily from their assertions. Quite the opposite occurred as Tom and his family, along with other ranchers in the
Pictured above: The Skinwalker Ranch house at the South Gate. (Photo: www.skinwalkerranch.org)
severed appendages were positioned methodically around the body. As if this wasn't strange enough, the internal organs of the cow were missing and the corpse devoid of blood. Not a single drop remained in, on, or near the animal. One of the beast's ears had been sliced off by what the NIDS veterinarian determined was a razor-sharp instrument. Three of Gorman's dogs, no strangers to tracking predators, had subsequently huddled in their respective kennels refusing to come out for food or water. The fourth canine, which had alerted Tom to the attack and raced off in the direction of the calf's killer, hadn't returned to the ranch and was never seen again. With the partial NIDS team on site, another incident would rock the property after 11 p.m. that evening. Around this time, the remaining dogs on the land began barking maniacally. In response, Gorman and the crew jumped into the ranch manager's pickup and raced onto the homestead.
Viewing a cow in trouble, Tom aimed his vehicle at a nearby tree. That's when all four men present saw them -- two massive, reflective eyes gazing forth from the darkness. Braking the truck to a halt, Gorman grabbed his rifle and fired a shot at whatever lie waiting in the close foliage some 20 feet above the ground. The two eyes blinked out. Tom raced to the spot beneath the tree, only to discover the area abandoned. The rancher would once again catch sight of the creature and fire two more rounds into it at close range. Again, the anomaly would vanish, leaving the four men cautiously searching the snow for what Gorman described as a 400-pound beast. Although there were no traces of blood, a pair of huge tracks with apparent talons protruding from their heels was discovered in the snow. Later, discussing the incident, Tom informed NIDS he had seen a pair of creatures -- one in the tree and the other on the ground. Able to fell a predator from 500 yards, Tom
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region, lost considerable capital after suffering copious cattle losses. The entire time NIDS was on the property, Tom's dogs, normally indomitable, became skittish, backing away from mysterious, unseen forces, often refusing to eat for days while hiding in their kennels. On one particular occasion, four 2,000-pound bulls vanished into thin air only to be discovered squeezed inexplicably into a trailer barely large enough to accommodate the animals. According to Tom, the enclosure in question only possessed a single door that had been locked for years. Blankets of intact cobwebs encasing the doorjamb validated the ranch manager's claims. How could 8,000 pounds of cattle pass through this portico without displacing these webs? It was a feat David Copperfield couldn't accomplish, and none of it seemed to make sense. When examined by NIDS, metal bars surrounding the trailer displayed astronomical amounts of magnetization. What Does it Take to Make an Academic Scream? The scientists began to feel some type of force was toying with them as doors opened by unseen powers, locks strangely went missing, and ranch dogs routinely escaped their kennels. Even when four NIDS members observed an intense luminescence among nearby trees, they were unable to capture the anomaly on video. As the mysterious radiance vanished, the men scoured the area for trace evidence. While wearing night vision goggles, one of the scientists spotted a massive black entity moving through the copse in front of him. Whatever he gazed upon was large enough to block out the stars, prior to its disappearance into the darkness. Abruptly, the man began scream-
ing. Racing to their colleague's side, the group discovered their associate bewildered and horrified. The frazzled scientist claimed that whatever he had encountered somehow penetrated his thought processes, informing him it was watching the researchers. The individual, an esteemed academic, appeared to have his entire belief system shaken. Among the more prevalent enigmas witnessed by NIDS were the inexplicable lights that displayed signs of intelligence. These conundrums often exhibited malicious intent. Such was the case when at least two mysterious blood-red spook lights attacked Tom's herd, causing the animals to race headlong over a 15-foot cliff. When all was said and done, two more cows would be injured, one would die, and a fourth would be aborted. It should be noted the most common type of UFO sighting involves mysterious lights. Strange illuminations have been witnessed not only throughout the modern era, but by Native Americans as well. Lest one forget the unexplained "foo fighters" observed by Allied and Axis pilots, or the strange spheres ineffectually tracked by radar and fighter jets over the White House in 1952. What these enigmas are remains anybody's guess, but their appearance, especially
at "hotspots of high strangeness," seems prevalent. When one observes a possible portal to another dimension as did two of the NIDS team on the evening of August 25, 1997, perceptions of reality are never the same. While on a ridge surveying the property below them, two scientists witnessed a glowing opening in the distance. This egress grew in the lens of their night vision binoculars. As the anomaly, which appeared to hover above the ground, expanded to at least two feet in diameter, the men realized they were gazing into a type of tunnel. What happened next defied all logic. From within the portal, a black faceless, 400-pound humanoid emerged, stepping onto the ground and walking into our current dimension. Moments later, the opening receded, until it vanished completely. Following suit, the entity disappeared, but only from view, as the men realized they were now alone in the dark with a being from another reality. Cautiously, the scientists set out to acquire evidence from their sighting. After all, what good is an encounter if there is nothing empirical to document the occurrence? Unfortunately, the creature never made another manifestation. The pair of scientists did, however, detect a
Sources say that the above-pictured military antigravity helicopter is responsible for the cattle mutilations on and around The Skinwalker Ranch. (Photo: www.skinwalkerranch.org)
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Case Files of the Unknown: Haunted Sites
Pictured at right: The corral and trailer where cattle were found strangely stacked together. (Photo: www.skinwalkerranch.org)
distinct odor in the vicinity where the beast had crawled on its stomach and elbows into our dimension. A thorough search for footprints revealed nothing, as the ground in the region was too hard to absorb impressions. Although NIDS investigators experienced numerous mystifying events, the team possessed little evidence to confirm their encounters. As such, the scientists mounted six CCTV cameras at one of the more active regions on the property. After a year without disturbances in the area, Tom noticed that three of the devices were no longer working; their electronics had been violently ripped out of them. Fortunately, an undamaged camcorder had been pointing toward the vandalized cameras. As a result, whomever or whatever eviscerated the equipment should have been caught on video. But upon examining the footage from the operating camcorder, NIDS was astonished to find no unusual activity on the tape, even during the time stamp displayed at the moment the three other devices were destroyed. It was as if whatever had annihilated the equipment not only did so invisibly, but also without displaying physical signs of the attack itself. Was such a thing even possible? the scientists collectively wondered.
The incident exemplified a force possessing not only great strength, but also cunning, reminiscent to the precise dissecting of the calf on the property more than a year prior. Evidence of Paranormal Activity Eludes NIDS Eventually, the activity on the ranch dissipated, although anomalous disturbances and sightings of strange creatures continued throughout the Uinta Valley. Despite the fact the individual members of NIDS witnessed the enigmatic while at the Skinwalker Ranch, they felt they had missed their opportunity to capture evidence validating these experiences. This shortcoming may be attributable to the group's inability to approach the phenomena with furtiveness -- employing minimal technology as Tom had suggested. In the end, the team conjointly pondered how they could have yielded more conclusive results. The fear emitting from the Gormans was almost tangible, whereas NIDS displayed a more intrepid demeanor. The assemblage of scientists hunted anomalies, while the Gormans were the hunted. Tom and his family had minimal technology at their disposal, as opposed to the barrage of electronics employed by NIDS. Had
these variances in approach produced the disparity in results? In the words of one NIDS delegate, "We know so little in terms of what the overall scope of these phenomena are that it's just embarrassing to try and make some conclusions at this point. Imagine that you have a phenomenon that is very selective as to how it exposes itself and to whom. So if you have a tailgate football stadiumtype of atmosphere and everybody's got hotdogs and hamburgers and they're barbecuing and waiting for the UFOs to come down, I don't picture a continuation of the activity." In conclusion, the National Institute for Discovery Science spent eight years on the property that has come to be known as the Skinwalker Ranch. Such exhaustive field research is thus far unparalleled in the realm of the seemingly paranormal. NIDS is certain the enigmatic disturbances on the ranch were not the result of an elaborate fabrication by the Gorman family themselves. Tom and his clan are reputed to be "rock-solid, firmly grounded, honest people." In addition, "dozens of the most disturbing incidents were personally witnessed and documented by NIDS scientists and researchers. The Gormans did not -- and could not -- manufacture them." Tom and his family have subsequently moved out of state and to this day refuse to accede to interviews or journalistic coverage. Financially, the Gormans have gained nothing. Could whatever enigmas once present on the Skinwalker Ranch have been so collectively intelligent that they orchestrated who would experience their presence, as well as when and where these encounters would occur? Answers to such questions currently elude us, which may forever be the case, unless a concerted and empirical investigation of the paranormal continues.
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100 Years After a Devastating Avalanche Took Their Lives, the "Spirits" of Wellington, Washington, Still Remain. Read One Investigator's Account of How She Met . . . "The Ghosts of Wellington."
Book Now Available Online at October 2010 Paranormal Underground www.avalancheofspirits.com
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Case Files of the Unknown: Haunted History
The Jaboticabal Poltergeist
By Rick E. Hale, McHenry County Paranormal Research Group
A
nthropologists agree that mankind's fascination with magic began thousands of years ago before the advent of organized religion and when man was still young and had a day to struggle with a seemingly unforgiving environment filled with awe, wonder, and fear. Researchers believe that magic came about as a means to control their unforgiving environment and as a means to commune with nature. This possibly explains why early man painted on the walls of their caves showing hunting and battle scenes -- they firmly believed that by drawing themselves capturing and killing an animal, they could become one with their prey and have an easier time making the kill and feeding their family. However, there is a different side to magic -- a negative side that seeks to call up evil beings in an attempt to control and enslave an enemy. This "Black Magic" (or "Left-Hand Path") has been blamed for many tales concerning mankind crossing paths with malevolent spirit entities. This would appear to be the case surrounding the story I'm about to tell you. Fear, Revenge, and Suicide The events that transpired in the Ferrier household in Jaboticabal, S�o Paulo, Brazil, have gone down on record as being one of the most violent episodes of poltergeist phenomena. The activity described
The Jaboticabal Poltergeist case was said to elicit abject fear, revenge, and suicide.
below elicited abject fear, revenge from beyond the grave, and suicide. In December 1965, the Ferrier house, and all those who resided there, came under attack by bricks that would fly through the windows and doors of the modest little home, breaking valuables and occasionally striking members of the family. After investigating and ruling out the possibility of some unknown assailant throwing the bricks, the family became convinced that they were under attack by some kind of demonic entity. So, the Ferriers did what any devout Roman Catholic family would do in their situation -- they contacted their local priest and begged for an exorcism to be per-
formed. Little did they know, things would soon get worse. When the priest arrived at the Ferrier household, he spoke with the family about the strange activity that held them in an iron-fisted fear. The priest, himself, witnessed numerous phenomena that included bricks striking the home, plates moving of their own accord, and rappings on the wall. The man of God determined that the family was definitely under attack from some diabolical being, and he quickly went about the business of cleansing the home of whatever evil invaded it. It is a common thing for families who have strong religious beliefs and experience this kind of activity to contact their local church in the hopes
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that their priest, pastor, or rabbi can do battle with an unseen entity and come out victorious in God's name. Unfortunately, as this priest would soon discover, an exorcism cannot rid a home of a poltergeist or a human entity. In fact, in cases dealing with poltergeists or human entities, exorcisms have proven time and again to make matters worse. And this case was no exception. After the priest left, the activity in the Ferrier house picked up and became five times more violent than it had been. The Ferriers did not know where or who to turn to next. Catholicism may be the official religion of Brazil, but the belief in Spiritism -- or the contacting of the dead by means of a medium -- has a strong foothold in the large South American country. The Ferriers turned to this belief system and their adherents in the hope they could rid themselves of their very nasty poltergeist. Joao Volpe, a local dentist and Spiritist, was contacted by friends of the Ferriers and immediately went to the frightened family. Volpe knew what plagued the family, and it most certainly was not one of the minions of Satan. The Work of a Poltergeist When Volpe arrived at the Ferrier home, he calmed the fears of the family and assured them that what caused the activity in the home was not the work of the wicked one, but rather the work of a poltergeist. Volpe explained that a poltergeist was not a spirit but rather the pent up frustration of a member of the family that was expressed in an unexplained manner. Volpe was convinced that Maria Jose, the Ferrier's 11-year-old daughter, was the cause of the phenomena and may be a natural medium, affecting the immediate environment
and possessing the ability to contact spirits. Volpe became even more convinced of his theory when Maria Jose stated that she had numerous invisible friends who treated her kindly and could make candy and other treats appear at her feet when she asked.
Spiritist center in Uberaba, Brazil. Upon hearing of the young girl's plight, Xavier gave Volpe and Maria Jose swift admittance into his home. Xavier quickly went about the business of contacting the spirits to determine what caused the girl to experience this violent, otherworldly behavior.
Maria Jose's clothes inexplicably caught fire!
Volpe was astonished by what the young girl told him. He asked her parents if he could take the girl to his home and study her further. The Ferriers allowed Volpe to take her away. The first few days that Maria Jose spent in the Volpe house was peaceful and free of the phenomena that plagued her parents' home. Volpe began to wonder if perhaps Maria Jose was happy with getting away from her parents, which may have been the cause her stress. However, rocks soon began striking the home, and loud bangs that seemed to "come from nowhere but from everywhere" filled the house. Volpe and numerous associates watched as a large stone flew in through an open window, struck three people on the head, and flew out through the window. Volpe became convinced that he had done all that he could do to help the young girl. He concluded that the help she required needed to come from a medium much stronger than he, especially after a particularly terrifying experience that almost killed the devout Spiritist. One night, Maria Jose's clothes inexplicably caught fire, severely burning Volpe and setting his room on fire. Only one man could cure this child of her ills: the great medium Chico Xavier. Volpe brought Maria Jose to the While in a trance, Xavier made contact with a spirit who claimed that Maria Jose, in a former life, was an evil witch who caused the deaths of many people via her Black Magic. The spirit went on to say that he and his fellow spirits were sent to Maria Jose as a curse to make her suffer for the crimes she had committed in her former life. Chico Xavier was able to persuade the spirits to leave the young girl alone, because it was unfair that she should be held responsible for events beyond her control. After many hours of prayer, Xavier declared that Maria Jose was now free from the spirits that plagued her and that she could go in peace and live a happy life. A Tragic End After what seemed like several months of pure Hell on Earth, Maria Jose Ferrier was allowed to return home and live with her parents once again. At first, by all appearances, the family was freed from the spirits that would mean them harm. However, this tale would have a tragic end: Maria Jose's mother returned home one afternoon to find her daughter lying dead in her bedroom. Apparently, Maria could no longer take the stress of the events that had transpired and took her own life by lacing her soda with a mixture of pesticides. A sad end to a promising young life.
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Case Files of the Unknown: Cryptids & Mythological Creatures
Do Winged Cats Exist?
Mutants, Cryptids, Hoaxes, or Real?
By Jill Stefko, Ph.D., www.suite101.com/profile.cfm/stevko1901
T
hroughout the years, there have been reports of winged cats. Evidence of such creatures includes reported sightings, pictures, veterinary examinations, and even one video. Winged cats do seem to exist, but what are they? According to reports, out of about 138 sightings of winged cats, at least 28 of them have been scientifically documented. Both living cats and the bodies of dead ones are said to have been examined in some form. Here is a look at one well-known "winged cat" case, as well as possible explanations for the phenomenon. Thomas: A Well-Documented Winged Cat Case This account of a winged cat is documented in John Keel's book, The Complete Guide to Mysterious Beings (A Tor Book, 2002). In May 1959, 15-year-old Douglas Shelton captured a cat while he was hunting near Pinesville, West Virginia. The cat was not feral but acted friendly. And . . . it had wings! The only time the cat got angry was when the wings were pulled. Douglas named the cat Thomas; however, it was later discovered that Thomas was a "she!" The cat resembled a longhaired Persian, was larger than the average-sized cat, and had an extremely bushy tail. The two "wings" on Thomas were about nine inches long, felt like they had gristle
There are many scientific explanations to explain how a cat could grow wings.
in them, and were perfectly shaped. An anonymous veterinarian examined Thomas. At first, he thought the wings were a freak of nature, like a pair of extra legs. But after he examined the cat, he was not sure what the wings actually were. Thomas quickly became a sensation. She even appeared on NBC's The Today Show on June 8, 1959. The late Jack Lescoulie (1912�
1987), one of the original stars of NBC, was the show's host for the day. During the interview, Thomas appeared to be bored, while Douglas revealed that he had been offered as much as $400 for Thomas. But, he would not sell the cat. Pinesville had a feline celebrity and the Sheldon family realized she could be a money maker. Douglas began charging people a dime to
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look at Thomas. Also, reporters were charged a fee if they wanted to take photographs of the winged cat. The publicity surrounding Thomas soon attracted the attention of Mrs. Charles Hicks. She claimed that a friend had given her the cat, and she demanded her cat back. Thomas went to court on October 5, 1959, as Exhibit A in the custody case, accompanied by Exhibit B, a small box. People in the courtroom were shocked to see that Thomas no longer had wings. What was left of them were two large fur balls in the box; they were shed in July, only two months after Douglas found Thomas. Other famous cases surrounding winged cats include: � 1894: As reported in the Independent Press, a winged cat was being displayed to those who paid two pennies. David Badcock, who owned the Ship Inn in Cambridge, England, also took the cat to nearby villages. � 1899: The London's Strand Magazine reported the existence of a winged kitten, belonging to a Wiveliscombe, Somerset, England, resident. � 1934: Mrs. Hughes Griffiths, of Oxford, England, found a winged black and white cat in her stables.
The report claimed that Mr. Griffiths "saw it unfurl a pair of long, black wings sprouting in front of its hindquarters and jump onto a beam." The Oxford Zoo soon arrived on scene, captured the cat with a net, and took it back to the zoo. The cat had six-inch wings protruding from its back. � 1936: On a farm near Portpatrick, Wigtownshire, Scotland, a winged cat was found that had white hair and wings on its back. As the cat would run about, the wings flapped up and down. � 1950s: Madrid newspapers reported that one resident's grey Angora cat had grown a pair of large, fluffy wings. � 2004: Near Kursk, Central Russia, the local newspaper, Komsomolskaya Pravda, resident Nadezhda Medvedeva found a rather strange cat on her property. The cat was a ginger Tomcat, twice as large as a normal cat, and twice the appetite. Oh, and the cat had wings. � 2007: According to the Huashang newspaper, in the Chinese Xianyang, Shaanxi province, a one-year-old Tomcat grew wings after being sexually harassed by other cats.
Scientific Explanations for Winged Cats There are many scientific explanations to explain why a cat would grow wings. Huge mats of hair are the most common cause of wing growth. Long-haired cats account for many of the winged cat report, although there are several accounts of short-haired cats growing wings as well. Also, molted hair can adhere to the new hair growth, thus resulting in several layers of molts. Deformities that a cat is born with, such as extra legs, can appear to be wings. An uncommon deformity, called Feline Cutaneous Asthenia (FCA), causes the cat's skin to grow into heavy folds on its back or shoulders. Although the first cases of winged cats were reported in the 1800s, FCA was not discovered until the 1970s. It was in the 1990s that cryptozoologists and veterinarians realized that FCA explained many cases of winged cats. It was Karl Shuker, a cryptozoologist who was interested in medical anomalies and freaks of nature, who made the connection.
Source: www.suite101.com.
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Case Files of the Unknown: Are We Alone?
The Needles, California, UFO Crash of 2008
By Paul Bottini, http://zzyzxparanormal.com
O
n May 14, 2008, the small hours before dawn brought a mystery to the tiny town of Needles, California, that continues unraveling to this very day. Witnesses claim something inexplicable crashed to Earth slightly west of the Colorado River -- an object that may have left tangible proof of its arrival. In fact, numerous ufologists believe physical evidence of the wreck in question could still remain at an undetermined spot among the harsh terrain of this region. Frank Costigan, ex-chief of security for LAX Airport, and now-resident of nearby Bullhead City, Arizona, professes to having observed the crash around 3 a.m. According to Costigan, whatever the anomaly was, it emitted enough light to illuminate the sky. Racing from northeast to southwest, the velocity of the object diminished prior to speeding up again, as if under intelligent control. Moments later, Costigan lost sight of the enigma behind a crop of hills. Frank awaited the audible report one would expect to accompany something massive, out of control, and Earthbound. Instead, the ex-police officer claims whatever hit the planet that
In May 2008, several witnesses claimed to have seen a UFO descend out of the sky and crash in Needles, California. Witnesses to the event and the recovery effort included an ex-chief of security and an owner/operator of a local radio station.
night made no noise at all. David Hayes, owner/operator of local radio station KTOX, would be traveling to work mere hours later. Along his trek, Hayes caught sight of a procession of dark, ominous vehicles speeding into the nearby desert. Armed with military license plates, the convoy in ques-
tion seemed to be a sort of surveillance transport. Having the misfortune of making eye contact with a driver in the formation, Hayes asserts one of the mysterious vehicles in question would later park itself outside KTOX, as though its occupants were monitoring the station's owner.
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According to witnesses, a fleet of black helicopters arrived on scene in Needles no more than 20 minutes after the UFO crashed to Earth.
What Did Crash in Needles, California? A separate witness to the anomalous crash reported observing the fiery enigma come to Earth approximately 100 yards west of the river. At first, the onlooker believed whatever struck the planet was perhaps a plane, although he could find no explanation for the lack of audible reverberation resultant of the incident. While attempting to call 911, the eyewitness viewed a fleet of black helicopters arriving on scene no more than 20 minutes after the occurrence. Among the vehicles was a Skycrane, which lifted a radiating, oval-shaped object from the ground and flew off in the direction of Las
The mystery thickened when KTOX radio received a phone call from a colleague in Laughlin, Nevada, asserting the aforementioned gambling town's local airport had been overrun by Janet planes on the evening of the alleged wreck. Janet aircraft are unmarked vehicles that transport Area 51 employees to and from the infamous secret base in the "Silver State." Shortly after the incident, the foreboding, black Suburbans witnessed about Needles vanished as quickly as they'd arrived. Whatever fell from the sky also disappeared, although perhaps not without a trace.
traveling at high velocity, should have left physical evidence upon impact. Perhaps burn marks or debris remain in the aftermath of the wreck. Since the region is far from easily traversable, it may take a team of dedicated researchers to uncover latent proof. Whether
The UFO appeared to be under intelligent control.
Vegas, Nevada. According to the observer, the anomaly, itself, was roughly the size of an 18-wheeled truck trailer. Is Evidence of the Needles Crash Still Out There? Frank Costigan believes an object the size of a semi trailer,
this will happen is anyone's guess. Game for an adventure? If so, head out to Needles, California, and see what you can dig up. Be certain to arrive prepared though. The area in which the mysterious, Earthbound craft came to rest is overgrown with indigenous scrub, making exploration arduous, and even dangerous. Part of San Bernardino County, Needles is located in Southeastern California, abutting the state of Arizona. Access the small town via Interstate 40 or Highway 95. Route 66 also careens through the heart of the hamlet.
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Personal Experiences: Ghost Hunter Case Files
A Skeptic's First Investigation
By Jenny Brown
I
f you frequent the Paranormal Underground forums or listen to Paranormal Underground Radio, you know me as Skeerdycat. I'm here to tell you that name fits me quite well. I'm a chicken, I'm a skeptic, and I'm not the type to try a whole lot of new things. But I thought it was time to try one thing that most people never get the chance to do -- a full-blown, honest-to-goodness paranormal investigation. Living in Washington State, I'm favored with proximity to quite a few haunted locations. Not only that, I'm lucky to live near Karen Frazier (a.k.a. NoWhammies), one of Paranormal Underground's fearless leaders. If you didn't already know, Karen has written a book called Avalanche of Spirits: The Ghosts of Wellington about the tragic events of the 1910 avalanche in the small town of Wellington, Washington. The avalanche wiped out two trains carrying passengers and mail from Spokane to Seattle. In all, approximately 96 people perished. Wellington would be the site of my first-ever paranormal investigation. Being a skeptic, I was given a great opportunity to change my tune. Have I? Well, let's just say I'm not exactly a disbeliever, but still not the spokesperson for Ghosts "R" Us either. I will touch on that a bit later.
My first-ever paranormal investigation was in Wellington, Washington, the site of the worst avalanche in U.S. history in terms of lives lost.
My First Paranormal Investigation Gets Underway I had asked Karen to bring me some ghost-hunting gadgets, as all I own are a digital recorder and a digital camera. She brought an EMF detector, TriField Meter, ghost box, some cameras, and her digital recorder. I opted for my recorder and camera, as well as the EMF detector. When we started, we basically walked around the area, and I got my bearings of the place. Soon enough, darkness fell and my fear kicked in. The place is absolutely chilling. The tragedy that happened there gives it an eerie feeling -- ghosts or no ghosts. I found myself having to catch my breath a few times, trying to take it all in. We spent the majority of the time in the snow shed, which is the
site of the avalanche. Upon walking into the area, I was instantly hit with butterflies in my stomach and this ominous feeling that made me feel like I was about to head to my father confessor with a deep dark secret I wasn't ready to divulge. Nerves were rampant, and my senses were heightened; but when I finally got myself under control, I was able to objectively experience the investigation. I took a few pictures and discovered immediately that my camera lens definitely needed to be cleaned or every picture would be littered with faux orbs. It was extremely dark in the shed, which to me was more like a tunnel, even in the daylight. The pictures I did take were mostly of leftover railroad ties, stakes, and the tunnel itself. There were several pictures that
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didn't turn out, as it was too dark for my very basic digital camera. Although, it did seem strange to me that I took two back-to-back photos of the same area and one turned out but the other didn't. But digital cameras have a tendency to try to focus on one object, which can give you varying results simultaneously. So I brushed that off as not paranormal. When we were approaching Area 61 -- a pillar with a big 61 on it -- the others said they smelled a rather strong odor of cigar smoke. I didn't smell that; but, as I told them, my allergies have a tendency to block out some odors that most people find very noticeable or even overpowering. Later on during our night investigation we smelled a very strong maple odor. We'd had some maple cookies earlier and thought that we were giving off the smell, but it was definitely just in that one area. We decided to bring a maple cookie back to that area later and see if that was the request we were picking up from any lingering spirits. The Skeptic in Me Struggled Mightily The second time into the tunnel, I wasn't such a ball of nerves, so I was able to really pay attention to my surroundings and listen for potential evidence. There definitely were a few unexplained events that still have me a touch baffled. The skeptic in
As Karen was setting up the ghost box, I felt something brush up and down my shin to my knee, as if someone were rubbing my leg.
like squeaky sneakers on a basketball court; but it could've been a bird. A rock skittered past me as we were walking down the tunnel, which made me pause and take notice. We asked the unseen inhabitants (if any) to try it again, but we didn't get any response. Again, I'm not convinced of anything; it might have been a mouse zipping past me. When we started to make our way back up the start of the tunnel to wait for the others in our party, I began to experience some very strange things. My thighs became extremely heavy, and I felt as though something was holding me back. I felt as if I was trying to walk through a very powerful windstorm. The strange thing . . . there was no wind. I asked if "someone" was pushing me, if I was moving too fast for them, or if there was something they were trying to tell me. I kept pressing
We didn't have any other noticeable experiences on the way back up to the parking lot, but we were already feeling like there was definitely some activity. Still skeptical, I tried to brush off my experiences, attributing them to the changing air pressure from a nearby thunderstorm. I kept rationalizing everything in my head as some external factors causing the experiences I was having, but I was still determined to remain open-minded. Experimenting With Lasers and a Ghost Box When we met up with the others -- shout out to Northwest Paranormal Investigation Agency (NWPIA) -- we were excited to see all the gadgets and toys they'd brought with them in their converted bread truck/portable ghost lab. The lasers were something we decided were a definite must. The theory with the lasers is if something breaks the plane of a laser, you will see it in 3-D. This wasn't your typical laser pointer you drive your cat nuts with -- this was quite the contraption. It looked like a slide projector that sent out hundreds of laser beams, which made us feel like we were inside a kaleidoscope. We attempted some experiments with cameras, glow-sticks, and Tanner (Karen's son) in a white jumpsuit. You could see how something breaking the planes of the laser
We captured a giggle on our audio that we couldn't explain.
me is struggling mightily to debunk the events I experienced. Karen heard some whispers in her ear, which eventually started ringing, and she kept hearing a high-pitched noise she couldn't pinpoint. I heard a sharp, high-pitched whistle noise, on, and eventually I lost my balance a bit and felt somewhat disoriented. Again, we asked if someone was there, and it was almost as if the air suddenly cleared and I was able to move normally, as though nothing had ever happened.
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Personal Experiences: Ghost Hunter Case Files
We asked the spirits if they got the maple cookie we left for them. Both Karen and I distinctly heard "Yummy" come out of the ghost box speakers.
fog started moving in, so I decided it was as good a time as any to head back to my car and make the twohour drive home. When I started saying my goodbyes, I felt something brush the back of my head, as if it were stroking my hair. At the time, I shrugged it off as the hood of my sweatshirt tugging on a section of my hair. Then again, maybe it wasn't. Final Conclusions From a Skeptic I spent the next few days reviewing my audio and found a few interesting things. However, the more I think about it, the more the skeptic in me is convinced that what I was hearing was only in my mind and not something that was really there. Then again, there was one experience that really struck me: a giggle we captured on our audio that we didn't hear in real time. That one I really have no explanation for whatsoever. So maybe I'm not as skeptical as I thought. Overall, it was an amazing opportunity, and I had an absolute blast. I met some great people, had the chance to test out some cool gadgets, and tried to debunk some uncanny happenings to the best of my ability. I'm not saying I'm completely convinced of the paranormal, but I'm also not completely skeptical anymore. There were definitely some unexplainable events and some very interesting personal experiences. My real skepticism now lies with the evidence we are shown on TV and what some individuals tout as true hard evidence. Having been on an investigation, I can see how easy it would be to manufacture evidence and trick the viewer into seeing or hearing something that's not really there. I will be really curious to see if a second go-around with Wellington will leave me still skeptical, or make me a true believer?
beams would definitely show up in a trippy 3-D image. However, I didn't see anything paranormal. Karen, Jim (Karen's husband), and I decided to head out to the observation deck and play with the ghost box a bit. As Karen was setting it up, I felt something brush up and down my shin to my knee, as if someone were rubbing my leg. It was a very strange sensation. My mind raced with possibilities of what else it could be, determined to debunk the feeling. Not even a bug up my jeans seemed a logical cause for the sensation. Remembering we had taken a maple cookie to Area 61 while the others set up the lasers, we asked the spirits if they got the maple cookie we left for them. Both Karen and I distinctly heard "Yummy" come loud and clear through the ghost box speakers. We asked a series of other questions, but the most interesting things we heard had to do with the lasers inside the shed. We heard "dangerous" and "lights," so we asked if they wanted us to turn off the lights, to which we heard "please" and "thank you." It was at this point that my skepticism was getting a run for its money. How could this contraption be answering our questions? Were we just listening too hard for specific words and hearing what we thought were answers to our questions? I was
starting to become a bit confused as to what I was really experiencing and couldn't wait to check out my digital audio when I got home. Karen went back to the others and had them turn off the lasers, while Jim and I sat on the observation deck. I decided to ask a few more questions. Unfortunately, nothing came up on my digital recorder from that EVP session. I should backtrack a bit and mention, in case you've never participated in a ghost box session, it's quite the experience. In the lamest of explanations, since that's the extent of my gadget knowledge, it's a radio that zips through the frequencies without stopping for any signal. It takes a bit of getting used to, but theoretically, the noises that you can't attribute to broadcast frequency noise are likely to be paranormal. So, as you can imagine, it can be very easy to hear something that isn't really paranormal but merely a suggestion of your mind picking up pieces of actual radio broadcasts and manufacturing "paranormal responses." The others joined us on the observation deck, and we decided to have another go at the ghost box. This time it was a little easier to pick out what was static and what were words. I didn't hear as many responses as we heard the first time around. As we finished our session, the
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Reader Profile
Vince Conforti (Forum Name: Vcon)
About Vince
Age 59. Born/Currently Resides: Old Forge, Pennsylvania/Scranton, Pennsylvania. Status: Married. Education: High School Grad/Certified Metal Caster. Zodiac Sign: Leo. Occupation: Retired Foundry Manager. Vince: I wanted to be an archaeologist. Q: Are you a skeptic or believer? Vince: Definitely a believer. Q: What areas of the paranormal interest you the most? Vince: Spiritual and psychic phenomena. Q: Talk about any paranormal experiences you have had and how they affected you. Vince: When we moved into our house, we had some kind of presence in one room. We never actually saw anything concrete, but we could definitely feel it. No one would stay in the room for very long. Our priest came and blessed the house, and we've never had any experiences since. Q: Who are your heroes? Vince: John Adams, the real Father of our Country.
Vince is a believer who is most interested in the spiritual and psychical sides of the paranormal.
Q: What are your favorite books, movies, TV shows, and paranormal shows? Vince: Favorite books: anything by Dean Koontz. Favorite movies: Becket and The Lion in Winter. TV Shows: NCIS and Bones. Paranormal Show: Ghost Adventures. Q: Favorite music? Vince: Without a doubt, I am a Blues fanatic. I also like Heavy Metal. Q: What are your pet peeves? Vince: Not being considered a Native American. I was born here; it's the only country I know. Q: What do you think happens to us when we die? Vince: Our spirits are reunited with those we loved in life, be it people or pets. Q: Do you have any words of wisdom that you live by? Vince: If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Q: Any exciting plans for the future? Vince: I am really looking forward to the Paranormal Underground gettogether in Gettysburg next year.
Q&A
Q: What brought you to Paranormal Underground? Vince: Internet search. What does your forum name mean? Vince: Short form of given name. Q: How would you describe yourself? Vince: Very outgoing. Q: Tell us about your family and what you like to do. Vince: My wife and I love dogs (we have four) and going to concerts. I also love riding my motorcycle. Q: What would our readers be surprised to find out about you?
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Personal Experiences
the Paranormal
By terri J. garofalo, author of entities-r-us, ghost hunter ComiC
Cartooning
"
We have ghosts," my college roommate casually announced one morning. I didn't know whether or not to take him seriously . . . though he did not appear to be joking. Up until I lived in that house in Hartford, Connecticut, I had never experienced anything paranormal. Curious? Sure. But after a near minor in philosophy, I had pretty much debunked existence. My clean slate was about to be written on with swooping, enormous letters -- HAUNTED! A Haunting Within My Home It was not long before the creepy feeling in the upstairs hallway grew into a sensed presence in my room, whispering in my ears and being held down in my bed unable to move or holler for help. This was not something you talked about back then. Ghost Hunters was not to hit the mainstream market until a couple decades later. I kept this to myself. My roommate, however, regaled us with visions of two apparitions! There was an elderly female following a man in his 40s who waved a knife and fork like an orchestra conductor. Knife wielding ghosts . . .
why would we get any other kind? Normal people would have moved out. I'm stubborn. I took 'em on, put my hands on my hips, and did my best impersonation of my mother, "I live here now! It was ME that cleaned up this place, and it was a COMPLETE mess. I mow the lawn. I take care of this place now! The LEAST you can do is help out!" I demanded it stop holding me down in bed. I also said it could continue to live here, but I did not EVER want to see it. The nighttime harassment
ceased, AND I suddenly discovered I had a helper, albeit thankfully, an invisible one. Returning from a weekend away, the light was on (we left it on to deter the criminal contingent). As I ascended the stairs I spoke aloud indicating I needed to turn the light off, as it was daylight. When I finally descended the stairs, it was out. It's a three-way lamp. It takes a couple of turns to switch if off or on. I still have these lamps today, and they have never gone off of their own accord. Stuff like that began
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to happen. I took to thanking my newfound spirit buddy. The neighbors next door informed us a 40ish, alcoholic, school bus driver had previously lived in the house with his elderly mother. He apparently died during a drunken stupor in what was now MY room. NICE! That explained a lot. Obviously, he didn't know he was dead. And so began my spiritual journey of exploring what lies beyond the physical. I had many other paranormal and psychic experiences afterward and later wound up cohabiting successfully with another ghost for a good 10 years. An Interest in the Paranormal Sparks an Idea It takes a good sense of humor to tolerate the unknown and mostly unseen. So let's segue into a paranormal comic strip 25 years later via the creative wormhole of humor. Since high school, I have drawn cartoons. It's been a life-long dream to publish a comic strip. There have been many comic creations channeled through my hands over the years. Some were promising, others not. Limited success caused me to
shelve the cartoon idea and pursue a "normal" life. As artists know, that just doesn't stick. It seems when you shove creative projects in the drawer, they have a way of creeping back out to haunt you. Again, I found myself inventing yet another comic strip. I was itching to do a more spiritually orientated cartoon -- nothing religious, just more toward a "shift in consciousness" theme. Exploring this idea, I was drawn to the new fascination with ghosts and the paranormal. The plethora of television shows wielding this genre was growing exponentially. Personally, I was sorely interested myself. I went on to accomplish my goal and eventually create a comic strip called Entities-R-Us, which evolved from a comic called In Spirit -- about a fellow named Woodsworth who escapes society to a trailer in the woods, only to discover he is not alone. The ghost of the former occupant is there and quite annoyed at the intrusion. As the story unfolds, the character Woodsworth hires a group of ghost hunters called Entities-R-Us. Those interlopers ran away with the strip and thus became their own "entity": Entities-R-Us, Ghost Hunter Comic.
Lead investigator Arno Alkaloid, tech manager Merv Schwermble, psychic medium Erna Eggleston, and demonologist Vlad formed the main character crew to ride around in the microbus seeking spirits. A cast of ghosts includes the Ouija Nite regulars Carl and Thor, as well as office haunter Ms. Henpeck (Arno's deceased Kindergarten teacher) form the astral contingent. Nature spirits, called Imps, also infest the Entities-R-Us treehouse office. Later on, the Wiccan energy vampire and investigator-in-training Vera joined the team. Together, the characters blaze the trails of paranormal knowledge, covering everything from ghosts to Bigfoot to the whereabouts of Atlantis. This cartoon was too good to toss in the drawer after the syndicates turned it down. I've long learned there are many, many viable cartoon strips that never see the light of print. This one was too good to waste. The question was where to find an audience? The answer came on a random "Google" when I discovered an amazing little book entitled How to Make Webcomics by Brad Guigar, Dave Kellett, Scott Kurtz, and Kris
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Straub. My mind began to heat up and smoke poured out of my ears. I was going to launch a Web comic! The ultimately cool thing about this is I would have complete control of my comic content, Website details, advertising, and products. It's God's gift to a control freak. I soon learned that I was an artist and not a Webmaster! While I managed to get it off the ground, I had some harrowing moments! Did I REALLY take down the entire Internet? No, I didn't -- just my own sordid world. I was convinced everyone who tried to help me was completely annoyed. After all, I came with a graphic design degree centered on using T-squares, rapidograph pens, and rocks. September 18, 2008, saw the launch of Entities-R-Us as a Webcomic on exactly the day I intended. Am I good or what?! Now I had to produce enough cartoons to fill ev-
ery day and interesting blog information to enhance reader experience. I Finally Join a Paranormal Investigative Team Oddly enough, I was writing a comic about paranormal investigation, yet I had never actually investigated before. I'd been surrounded by paranormal activity for so long, I was complacent about it. Inspiration called me to join a team. I discovered Obsideo Research of Beyond (ORB) in Westchester, New York. And they were kind enough to allow me to join them in a mutual quest for knowledge and were tolerant of my personal quest for humor. Out of this grew the "investigation series" where I would cartoon the amusing moments of a ghost hunt. Previously, I attempted a batch of zany series without the authenticity of personal experience behind
them and found they just didn't have the spark that comes from being there. While some cartoonists rest happily in the realm of imagination, I like to parody life. So, there needs to be a dose of reality coming in somewhere. The pursuit of spirits turned into a hobby/comic venture. There is an amazing sense of satisfaction after sitting in the dark all night long with a bunch of equipment calling out to "nothing," to later discover an answer to your questions on the digital voice recorder. It's definitely not a high-energy pursuit. Unless some visual or poltergeist activity shows up, it can be downright dull. I equate it to metaphysical archeology. I've always been a fan of digging up stuff. Even as a small child I would work tirelessly trying to uncover dinosaurs in my backyard. Hunting ghosts is hardly a stretch. Impatient by nature, it's amazing I'm
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willing to do this. It just goes to show interest overrides the ego. Our Culture Hungers for a Shift in Consciousness Communication is what makes this so incredible to me -- to be able to talk with the dead. The reality is that they are human too. So, why not start up a conversation? This is the drive behind the comic beyond just a bunch of characters hunting ghosts. The spirits have dialogue with each other, as well as do the physical beings. I love to draw a cartoon from the ghost's perspective. It just opens up a whole new way of looking at the physical and the metaphysical. My book, Entities-R-Us, Ghost Hunter Comic, Paranormal Humor for the Ghost Hunter's Soul, hit the "bookshelves" of Amazon.com recently, offering a physically tangible version of the Webcomic for those of us who prefer "analog" reading as opposed to digital. It explores the creation, characters, and cartoons of Entities-R-Us inception. This comic opens dialogue between the "here and thereafter" with laughter. We, as a culture, are hungering for this. It's a part of the shift in consciousness into an awareness of what we are. Paranormal programming is a part of that movement. The armchair ghost hunter awaits the manifestation of an apparition and marvels over dark shadows and voices from beyond. It proves he/she is more than this body. It's something we have suspected all along, and now proof seems to be emerging on some level. I am honored to be a part of bringing this concept forward via a comic strip. For as much as it is amusing, it is also provocative. I know I've done my job when a laugh is achieved and suddenly a thought drops in behind it.
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Fiction: Featured Author
The Volunteer
By Sandi Kennedy, Third Annual Short Story Fiction Winner
T
he orderly rolled the patient from the x-ray room into the hallway. He wanted to make a quick trip to the staff lounge before taking the woman back to her room on the third floor. He locked the wheels on the chair and then turned to look at her. "I'll be right back to take you to your room, okay?" The woman did not respond. He tried, but he didn't really expect a reaction. The woman had been mute the entire time he had her. She just stared blankly through him. He patted her arm and then headed to the break room. The woman continued to stare ahead. A shadow passed along with a chilling breeze that caught her suddenly. She flinched, her eyes widened in terror. In the break room, the orderly pulled a crumpled dollar bill from his pocket and straightened it with his fingertips. He slid it into the machine's feeder, which abruptly spat it out. "Damn it," he muttered. As he tried again, his success was interrupted by the woman shouting. "What are you?" she screamed. He abandoned his soda and ran from the room. "What are you!?" the woman shrieked frantically as she tried in vain to move the wheelchair backward. The orderly could not see what
the woman was so frightened of. She gasped as she looked higher and higher into the air and then fell silent. Her body went limp and she slumped in the wheelchair, but the ghastly look on her face remained. The orderly rushed over to help her. He felt for a pulse, but she was gone. ***** Maggie Peters had come to Jef-
ferson Hospital as a volunteer just to get her foot in the door. Her friend, Dee from the diner, had suggested it. Maggie talked yearningly of her desire to be a nurse on several occasions, but she didn't think that her waitressing job could fund such an education. Dee's suggestion sounded promising. Hopefully, she would be liked well enough to actually get hired at
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Illustrated by Sawaki Suushi (c. 1737)
the hospital. She could always take some courses later on if she needed to. The ward most in need of help was the Geriatric Unit. Maggie had hoped to be placed in the Pediatric Unit, but they were so well staffed it wasn't possible. She had her reservations because her mother had been in a nursing home, and she knew that the unit would offer a host of challenges. It is one thing to deal with an unruly child, but a disruptive adult with dementia is very scary. Maggie tried to stomp any fears and doubts that she had in her mind as she pushed the buzzer to gain entry into the ward. "You can do this Maggie," she told herself. "If they don't like you, what's the worst thing that can happen? They'll fire a volunteer?" She had played the words repeatedly in her head the previous night, but it didn't make her feel any less nervous today. The return buzzer sounded, and she pulled the door open. The nurses' station was immediately to the right, and she unsurely proceeded over to it. The nurse behind the desk was on the phone, and Maggie stood awkwardly waiting to be noticed. "Can I help you?" the nurse asked with the phone propped on one shoulder, never looking up. "I'm sorry, me?" Maggie asked nervously. The nurse hung the phone up and finally looked at Maggie. "Yes, you." Maggie paused at the apparent rudeness in her voice, but she bit her tongue because this was her potential coworker. "I'm Maggie Peters. I'm volunteering here." "Oh yes, the new girl. Welcome aboard," the nurse said with a blatant lack of enthusiasm. "You can leave your things in the room behind me, and there should be some scrubs in
the third drawer that you'll need." The nurse seemed to start to get up until the phone rang again. She motioned for Maggie to proceed to the back room. Maggie smiled and walked around the desk. Inside the room she placed her purse in a vacant locker. Then she turned and sifted through the third drawer until she found a smock that appeared
promptly stated. "Since you are new, I'm going to put you with Mrs. Tanaka." Marie picked up a clipboard and sifted through it until she found the woman's chart. The two women started down the corridor to the patient's room. "Mrs. Tanaka is pretty functional; she can go to the bathroom by herself. You just need to
"She thinks she is cursed by a spirit."
to be a suitable size. She came out of the room and paused behind the nurse at the desk, who was now busy writing in a log book. "Maggie?" she called. Maggie rounded the desk and stood at attention as if she was awaiting her orders. "Do you see the tall blonde over there?" Maggie's eyes scanned the busy hallway. "Yes." "That's Marie; she'll assign you a patient." "Okay, thank you," Maggie said. She made her way through the procession of the elderly that were lining the halls in wheelchairs. Their eyes followed her silently. Some smiled politely; others looked on despondently. She approached the statuesque woman. "Hello, I'm Maggie Peters." "Not a moment too soon. I'm Marie," the woman said as she positioned an elderly man away from the dining room doorway. She reached out and shook Maggie's hand. Marie walked toward the nurses' station with Maggie following close behind. "As you can see, we are a little overpopulated and a lot understaffed. Two girls are out sick. You've had your flu shot I hope." "Oh yes, last month," Maggie walk her in and out. She needs help eating and drinking from time to time. She doesn't speak much. I'm really not sure how much English she even understands to be honest with you. Oh, she wears these glasses covered in black tape, don't take them off her." Maggie grimaced. "Is she blind?" "No, she just gets really excitable without them." "Does she have any medical or mental conditions that I should be aware of?" Maggie asked. "She is on Lescol for her cholesterol, but that's it. As far as her mental state is concerned, I believe that she is suffering from a mild case of dementia. Do you have any medical training besides our crash course Mrs. Peters?" Marie asked abruptly changing the subject. "No, but I plan to take some courses in the fall." "Well, this will be wonderful for you then. The hospital offers training if you decide that this is something that you want to pursue. If you do well with Mrs. Tanaka, I can move you to a more challenging patient. You can get a good feel of what hospital life is like in here, trust me." "Yes that is what I was hoping
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for," Maggie agreed. Marie paused outside of Mrs. Tanaka's room. "Now Maggie, I have to stress that you are here as a volunteer only. You are here to assist the patient. You may administer medication that we provide, but besides that you're just here to help with day to day things, such as clothing the patient, washing, and feeding. Since you've already been to the volunteer training you should be all set." "Yes, I understand." Maggie looked down uneasily. "Is everything okay?" Marie asked. "Nothing . . . my mother had dementia," Maggie said uncomfortably. "Mrs. Tanaka's dementia has never caused a problem. We wouldn't have even known about it if it wasn't for one of our Japanese staff members overhearing her talking to it," Marie assured her. "To what?" Maggie asked curiously. "She thinks that she is cursed by a spirit. Miage Nyudo -- that's what
she calls it. From what our translator said, Mrs. Tanaka believes that if she sees this ghost, she will die. That is why you shouldn't take her glasses from her." Marie smiled widely at Maggie. "Well, that is quite a story." Maggie still looked worried. Marie sighed. "She's harmless." "Yes, don't mind me. First day jitters." Maggie smiled more confidently. As the two women entered the room, Mrs. Tanaka was in her bed sleeping. "There is a call button on the bed and on the wall. If there is an emergency, you must press that button first and foremost. You may perform CPR to sustain the patient until we get here, alright?" "Yes," Maggie answered. "Okay then. Andre will be bringing Mrs. Tanaka's dinner in any minute. Make yourself comfortable, and I'll see you later." "Okay, thank you Marie." Marie disappeared from the room, and Maggie was left alone
with Mrs. Tanaka. ***** It was quiet except for the sound of the old woman sleeping heavily. Maggie wondered if she should wake her up before dinner arrived, but the woman looked so peaceful she couldn't. Instead, she got acquainted with the room. It was a good size, Maggie thought, as she paced around. She wandered over to a bulletin board that had various cards and photos tacked to it. The cards were all written in Japanese, and the photos appeared to be taken someplace other than the United States. Maggie walked closer to Mrs. Tanaka. She looked curiously at her and the strange glasses covered in what looked like electrical tape. She could only tell that she was still sleeping by her breathing. As Maggie bent down to see if she could get a glimpse of Mrs. Tanaka's eyes, dinner arrived. The rattling of the cart startled Maggie -- and also Mrs. Tanaka apparently. The old woman was visibly awake now, and she
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reached for the button to raise the head of the bed. "Alright Mrs. T., you ordered the filet mignon and baked Alaskan," the man said as he pulled a tray from the cart, winked at Maggie, and walked toward the bed. Maggie grinned and rolled the table over to accommodate the food. "Hi, I'm Maggie," she said. "I'm Andre," the man said as he gave way to a dazzling smile. "You're new aren't you?" "Yes. I just started today. Why?" Maggie asked self consciously. "I can tell," Andre answered. Maggie's confidence took a direct hit and it showed. "Oh, I didn't mean anything by it. You look alive, not like some of these stuffy old nurses. We got enough old people in here. We could use a breath of fresh air." Maggie smiled at him shyly. "Well, I better get the rest of these people fed. Nice to meet you, Maggie." "Nice to meet you too, Andre." She watched as he pushed the cart from the room. Behind her Mrs. Tanaka stirred. She grasped at the utensils on her tray without much success. "Mrs. Tanaka, let me help you," Maggie said as she went to the old woman's aid. She took a fork and properly placed it in her hand. The old woman pulled away defiantly. "My name is Maggie, and I'm here to help you." Mrs. Tanaka scraped aimlessly at her food. The fork made agonizingly shrill sounds as it dragged across the plate. "Mrs. Tanaka, please." Maggie swiftly took the fork. "Let me help you." The elderly woman relaxed her tense body and pressed against her pillow submissively. Maggie shoveled a bite size of mashed potatoes and
brought the fork to Mrs. Tanaka's face. The inviting aroma of the potatoes wafted up to her. Maggie delicately tapped her mouth with the fork and she parted her lips. "There, that's better. Do you speak English Mrs. Tanaka?" The old woman did not answer. Maggie undauntedly scooped another forkful of food and fed it to her. "It doesn't matter; I think that we'll get along just fine. Finally someone who'll listen and not pass judgment. I could really use a friend like that." Mrs. Tanaka pushed the next forkful away, and when Maggie tried a different food she got the same reaction. She was finished. Maggie pushed the dinner tray to the doorway and then sat by Mrs. Tanaka in a cozy chair. She imagined how boring it was going to be for the next hour and a half. It would have been great to have been put with someone that she could have a conversation with. Light up someone's day and maybe even learn some aged wisdom. She would have appreciated a television set even, but the woman was
gie remembered her father saying. Wonderful thing to tell a child, but none the less true. She was new, and she'd just have to deal with it if she wanted in. Maggie put the magazine down on the nightstand and picked up a jeweled mirror that was lying there. It looked very old and expensive. She looked at her dimly lit reflection, and as she positioned the mirror to get better lighting, she saw it. ***** At first, Maggie thought Mrs. Tanaka had sat up. But when Maggie turned around, Mrs. Tanaka was still laying done. She once again checked the mirror and was startled to see the shape again. It was clearly standing over Mrs. Tanaka watching her sleep. Maggie couldn't take her eyes off of its image. "What was it, a ghost?" she asked herself. She remained mesmerized by it. Mrs. Tanaka tossed and turned in bed as if she felt the thing's presence. She began to mumble in Japanese, "Miage Nyudo." She remembered what Marie
The thing grew taller, feeding off of her fear.
never without her black-out glasses so there was no use for one. Maggie didn't even have a good book with her. There was a copy of Ladies' Home Journal on a table, and it would have to do. Maggie paged through it as Mrs. Tanaka drifted back to sleep. Maggie felt like it was pointless for Marie to have assigned her here. It must have been because no one else wanted the task. "Shit rolls downhill." Maghad told her. Still, Maggie looked on unafraid, until the shape shifted toward her and she met with its eyes, its horrible eyes. Terror coursed through her veins. She broke free from its stare and lowered the mirror. Turning toward Mrs. Tanaka, she could see the visible shape now. Their eyes once again locked. Maggie filled with maddening terror. The thing seemed to grow taller, feeding off of her fear. Mrs. Tanaka jolted awake.
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Fiction: Featured Author
about her broken arm. She remembered feeling pain in her right side as she was struck, but not much after that. The pain was dull now. The orderly wheeled her into the hallway outside of the x-ray room. He mumbled something to her, but she was so high on painkillers that she didn't hear him, nor did she care. She just stared ahead at the lovely mural on the wall. It was an ocean scene and the waves seemed to dance. Then they turned from blue to black. Then they jumped from the wall. Then she saw those horrid eyes. ***** "Mikoshita!" Mrs. Tanaka shouted. The thing temporarily broke its gaze from Maggie and turned to Mrs. Tanaka. Its hulking figure cowered down in size. Maggie screamed and ran from the room. She gripped the mirror tightly in her hand as she fled down the hall. The thing followed her; she could see it coming after her in the mirror. It quickly caught her, and in a desperate attempt to shield herself, she hid behind the mirror. The thing saw into its own eyes and withered, shrinking once again. The alerted nurses rushed down the hallway toward her. Maggie looked in the mirror; she could still see the thing stalking her. "Maggie, what is going on?" Marie demanded. "It's going to get me," Maggie cried as she swung the mirror insanely. "Calm down, Maggie. Give me the mirror." Marie tried to calm her and take away the potential weapon. "No! Look in it; you can see it for yourself!" Maggie waved the mirror again, and Marie grabbed at it. "Get her!" Marie ordered as she struggled with Maggie. The mirror fell to the floor and shattered. Two male orderlies lunged at Maggie as she pushed Marie aside and bolted. Running toward the unit's entrance, she realized that she didn't know the code to open the doors. The orderlies were gaining ground as Maggie searched desperately for an escape. She saw a fire exit in the dining area and raced to it. The door flung open effortlessly. An alarm sounded as she stepped outside. Trembling, she backed toward the street. The thing seemed to stop at the exit as if it couldn't leave the confines of the building. Maggie felt a shred of relief, however short lived. The thing's eyes met hers again. Its growing form burst through the door. Maggie unsuspectingly stepped back. The driver of the car didn't have much time to react. He jammed on the brakes when he suddenly saw her, but skidded into her anyway. ***** Maggie had drifted off on the xray table. The orderly picked her up and transferred her from the table to a wheelchair. Sedated and groggy, she could hear the doctor talking In Okinawa, Japan, young Kiro wrote a beautiful letter to his grandmother. He drew a rainbow dragon at the bottom. "Momma. Look what I made for grandmother," he said proudly. "It is very beautiful. Grandmother will be so happy. Now go and wash up for dinner." Kiro's mother carefully folded the letter and tucked it into an envelope addressed to Jefferson Hospital in the United States. She handed it to her husband, Hiroshi. "The Year of the Dragon -- another year safe from the curse," Hiroshi said as he held his wife tightly. "My mother doesn't have much time left." "Don't say that Hiroshi. Please don't," she pleaded. She knew that when his mother died, it would be her husband's responsibility to leave their home and take her place, to keep the evil away from the family, to keep the curse far, far away. He had volunteered to take the place of his sister, who was next in line. "My mother made the sacrifice, and when it is time, so will I," Hiroshi said solemnly. He then left to mail the letter.
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October 2010 Paranormal www.GhostKnightMedia.com Underground 57
Equipment Update
SpecterCam Review
By Andrew Selfridge, Oklahoma City Ghost Club
A
ugust 29 and 30 marked a special occasion for both me and my group, the Oklahoma City Ghost Club. It was on this date that we were graciously allowed by the staff at Paranormal Underground magazine to attend their private booking at the Waverly Hills Sanatorium. I could think of no better testing ground for the cameras in the following review, and I must say that they performed admirably. The cameras in question, the SpecterCam 1 and the SpecterCam 3, are the design and product of Keith Engle of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Keith has taken the concept of wide/ full spectrum video devices to a new level. His vision of having UVsensitive, affordable full-spectrum cameras available to any group or researcher that wants one at a modest price is now a reality. The cameras are CCD boxstyle video cameras that have been modified for full spectrum use. They have a dynamic spectral range of 320nm (ultraviolet) to 1000nm (near infrared). Each SpecterCam is guaranteed sensitive at those ranges but have been found to be sensitive at much lower ranges (approx. 250nm or UV/c on SpecterCam 3). It is important to note that illumination in this band of UV is extremely dangerous to living tissue, killing living cells and eyesight in little or no time. I reiterate that just because these cameras can be sensitive at those ranges, active UV
Keith Engle's vision of having UV-sensitive, affordable fullspectrum cameras available to any group or researcher that wants one at a modest price is now a reality. His SpecterCams are CCD box-style video cameras that have been modified for full spectrum use.
illumination in that band can be very harmful and should not be experimented with if you don't know the proper safety precautions. Another factor that sets these cameras apart from any "full-spectrum" competitors is that they are completely unfiltered. You are not locked into a specific output or daylight-only use. The Importance of Shortwave UV Sensitivity Why is shortwave UV sensitivity so important? Up until now, it has been the realm of lab-techs using custom ground sapphire or quartz optics and very expensive imaging systems. Only recently has the emergence of UV imaging systems for paranormal applications become popular, but the devices available to the average researcher are usually restricted to a sliver of sensitivity to ultraviolet light in the UV/a band. The SpecterCam 3 has light amplification algorithms that allow
for .0004 lux operation, and as such you can use it passively without active illumination. Keith has posted a video demonstrating the shortwave UV sensitivity of the SpecterCam line, and the results are amazing (www.spectercam.com/spectercamsfootage.htm). He also reiterates the dangers of experimenting with UV light at these short UV wavelengths. Having been an early adopter of the SpecterCam technology with one of Keith's first designs, I was familiar with the full-spectrum performance and sensitivity of these cameras before the introduction of the SpecterCam 1 and 3 line (SpecterCam 2 will be available shortly). The thing that struck me almost immediately with the use of the camera was how UV-sensitive it was. A single UV bulb made of Wood's glass would illuminate a large room, almost to the point of saturation and having to dial down the manual iris adjustment. IR performance was no slouch
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I recently tested Keith Engle's SpecterCam 1 and SpecterCam 3. Serious researchers should have one of these cameras. Pictured above at left: SpecterCam 3 in use at a rural cemetery. No active illumination, starlight only. Visual skyglow negligible; very dark. Pictured above at right: I tested the SpecterCam 3 at Waverly Hills Sanatorium, where the camera performed admirably.
either, and I was very happy with that camera. I had no idea how much the product line had advanced in performance until I tried the SpecterCam 3. The SpecterCam 3 is the crown jewel of the SpecterCam lineup. As I mentioned before, the onboard software allows for low-light performance of .0004 lux. While it may seem easy to conceptualize that kind of light amplification, you really should see it in action. Under a pitch-black sky with negligible skyglow and no moon, this camera clearly showed the surroundings and stars in the sky with no active illumination at all (see photo). The amplification is on par with late generation 2/early generation 3 night vision devices. The camera is a color camera, but switches to b/w in low light mode. Besides automatically selecting between day and night modes, the camera also has an onboard menu system for setting up many other video variables. Sensitivity, resolution, display mode, etc., are all user selectable through the camera's onboard software. The true benefit of the SpecterCam 3 is its ability to operate on little or no active illumination. This does come at a cost, however, and there is frame-dragging and light
smear at the lower lux levels. This is the price to pay for that level of amplification, and it is even present in other experimental full-spectrum cameras seen on television. Other features of the SpecterCam 3 are up to 620 lines of resolution (depending on mode), dual voltage operation (12 or 24v), noise reduction, digital zoom onboard, and motion detection. The SpecterCam 3 impressed me on many levels. By far the most impressive aspects were its sensitivity to shortwave UV and its ability to operate in total darkness sans active illumination. The menu system on the camera is very intuitive and easy to operate. The 12-volt option means mobility, as the camera can be operated for almost three hours on a good set of rechargeable batteries. Total control over all video variables rounds out this package, and it is my opinion that no serious researcher should be without one of these cameras. Final Recommendations One thing to consider with these full/wide spectrum imaging systems is that they have no method for onboard storage, so you will need
a DVR or input the video into a camcorder that allows for video input recording. My recommendation is to use a SpecterCam 1 if your resolution needs do not exceed 380 lines and you plan on using active IR or UV illumination. (The SpecterCam 1 is no slouch in low light either, boasting low light performance of 1 lux). If you need more resolution and want to benefit from .0004 lux technology, then a SpecterCam 3 is a must. These products are geared to satisfy the advanced-level researcher, but anyone with a passion for collecting paranormal evidence can benefit from one of these cameras. Since writing this review, Keith has informed me that he will soon launch a 12v entry-level SpecterCam, with emphasis on ease of use and mobility, for under a hundred dollars. Shortwave UV video anomalies are no longer out of reach for the average researcher, and with enough of these cameras out there, we can finally attempt to paint a picture of what is going on outside the range of human sight. Be sure to visit www.spectercam. com to view the product lineup and read the vast amount of information available about full-spectrum imaging and camera technology.
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